Brian Brackeen
InvestorFounderGeneral Partner at Lightship Capital · Founder at Kairos AR · General Partner at Lightship
Miami, Florida
Writes $100K – $10M checks · typically $1M
Find your path to Brian
532 people in our graph share verified history with Brian — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
Ken ChenaultunlockedBrian: together at IBM (2002–2010)
×6Brian: together at IBM
×3Brian: together at Lightship Capital
Brian: together at Apple
About
Former technical founder of Kairos (facial recognition AI), Brian Brackeen brings hands-on operator expertise—examining product architecture and go-to-market—and focuses on Midwest/South founders with bootcamps and ecosystem-building for underrepresented entrepreneurs.
Likely email· guessed from name + firm domain, not firm-published
- b•••@lightship.capitalreveal70% confident
Invests in
AI & Machine LearningDirect to ConsumerE-commerceHealthtechImpact & Social Good
Founder at Kairos AR
Intro paths
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In turn, Brian can intro founders to Kairos AR's investors below.
Kairos AR's investors · 10
500 GlobalSan Francisco · $150K checks · since 2015a16z cryptoMenlo Park · since 2026Backstage CapitalLos Angeles · $50K checksBlackRockWilmington · since 2024Climate InvestmentLondon · since 2024DCVC (Data Collective)Palo Alto · $5M – $25M checks · since 2024Energy Innovation CapitalOrinda · since 2024Kapor CapitalOakland · $100K – $1M checksNew World AngelsBoca RatonTechstarsBoulder · $220K checks
General Partner at Lightship
Intro paths
→
In turn, Brian can intro founders to Lightship's investors below.
Lightship's investors · 12
ALLEGIS CAPITALPalo Alto · $10M checks · since 2024Alumni VenturesManchester · $100K – $10M checks · since 2024Atento CapitalTulsa · $500K – $1M checksCongruentOaklandCongruent VenturesSan Francisco · $100K – $5M checks · since 2024Define VenturesSan Francisco · $750K – $6M checks · since 2021Hyperguapsince 2024Khosla VenturesMenlo Park · $5K – $50M checks · since 2021McKesson VenturesSan Francisco · since 2021Obvious VenturesSan Francisco · $250K – $6M checks · since 2024Prelude VenturesSan Francisco · $100K – $5M checks · since 2024TechNexus Venture CollaborativeChicago · since 2024
Co-founders at Lightship
CM
Candice Matthews BrackeenGeneral Partner
Experience
- Lightship CapitalManaging Partner - Lightship Anchor Fundcurrent2023 — presentCincinnati, Ohio, United States
- Lightship CapitalGeneral Partner - Lightship Venture Capital Fund Icurrent2019 — present
- Kairos Inc.Founder2011 — 2019Miami
- AppleSr. Project Manager2010 — 2012
- InfocrossingKronos Guru1998 — 2010
- Ahold USAKronos Solution Architect2008 — 2010
- IBMSr Managing Consultant2002 — 2010
- AholdKronos Solution Architect2009 — 2010
- Stop & ShopKronos Solution Architect2009 — 2010
- metropolitan museumKronos Project Manager2008
- ADPTechnical Consultant1999 — 2008
- ADP (Automatic Data Processing)Sr. Technical Implementation Consultant2001 — 2005
- First Union / Wachovia BankProject Coordinator2002 — 2004
- ADP (Automatic Data Processing)Technical Project Leader1999 — 2001
- Comcast CorporationManager of System Support and Administration1998 — 1999
- IBM Global Services @ AmtrakSenior Network Technician1997 — 1998
Skills & more
Kronos Timekeeping15Kronos WFC22Enterprise eTime11Time Clocks10Kronos31Disaster Recovery81Troubleshooting14Early-stage Startups11Fundraising13Lean Startup17Microsoft SQL Server12Technical Support38
+12 more
Software InstallationSQLOracleServersEnterprise SoftwareCloud ComputingSystem AdministrationProgram ManagementDatabasesMicrosoft ExchangeIISSoftware DevelopmentFrom Brian's professional profile.
Investments
Per curated public sources.
Colleagues at Lightship Capital
Network5
Arlan Hamilton
Founder & Managing Partner at Backstage Capital
Aaron Samuels
Investor, Entrepreneur, Artist, Storyteller
Alexis Alston
Investor at Lightship Capital
Candice Brackeen
General Partner at Lightship Capital
Simeon Iheagwam
Founder and Managing Partner at NOEMIS Ventures
Investors connected to Brian in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Brian Brackeen?
- Former technical founder of Kairos (facial recognition AI), Brian Brackeen brings hands-on operator expertise—examining product architecture and go-to-market—and focuses on Midwest/South founders with bootcamps and ecosystem-building for underrepresented entrepreneurs.
- Where does Brian Brackeen work?
- Brian Brackeen is Founder of Kairos AR and General Partner at Lightship Capital and General Partner at Lightship.
- What does Brian Brackeen invest in?
- Brian Brackeen invests in AI & Machine Learning, Direct to Consumer, E-commerce, Healthtech, Impact & Social Good.
- What check size does Brian Brackeen write?
- Brian Brackeen typically writes checks of $100K – $10M.
- What companies did Brian Brackeen found?
- Brian Brackeen founded Kairos AR, Lightship.
- What companies has Brian Brackeen invested in?
- Investments tracked here include Bootup, Undock, Vyrill.
- Where did Brian Brackeen go to school?
- Brian Brackeen studied at Harvard Business School (Young American Leaders Program, Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies).
Founder mafias
Harvard Business School mafia893
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Brad GerstnerMBAFounded AltimeterTim DraperMBAFounded Draper AssociatesMike Maples JrMBAFounded Pattern BreakersHristo BorisovOPM Class 64Founded PayhawkNoubar AfeyanVisiting LecturerFounded ProFound Therapeutics +13Wade MyersMBAFounded RealManage +6
+ 886 more
500 Global mafia671
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Melanie Perkins500 Global 2012Founded CanvaCliff Obrecht500 Global 2012Founded CanvaCameron Adams500 Global 2012Founded CanvaEoghan McCabeGA 3 2011Founded FinDes TraynorGA 3 2011Founded FinAihui OngGA 3Founded Buela +3
+ 664 more
Apple mafia306
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Steve JurvetsonProduct MarketingFounded Future Ventures +1Kai-Fu LeeVice president (last job)Founded 01Brian ActonHardware Test EngineerFounded WHATS APP +1IanUser Experience and EngineeringFounded Apex Technology +3Jon LernerSoftware Engineer (Intern)Founded Textnow +2Jeff SeibertSoftware Engineer, Mail and Address Book TeamFounded Crashlytics +1
+ 299 more
ADP mafia9
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Michael TrueDistrict ManagerFounded Prescient +1Dan DrechselDivison Vice President & GMFounded HireIQ SolutionsWarren LebovicsOperations ExecutiveFounded PequityJahangir MohammedSoftware EngineerFounded ConeMiguel ToledoTechnology and Global Product InternFounded FlexPerbhat KumarApplied Science InternFounded Anchorhead
+ 2 more
Lightship Capital mafia2
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Same school
Also attended Harvard Business School2,000
Aileen LeeFounder & Managing Partner of Cowboy VenturesJim BreyerFounder & CEO of Breyer CapitalMike Maples JrCo-founding Partner at FloodgateNeeraj AgrawalGeneral Partner at Battery VenturesHristo BorisovCo-founder & CEO of PayhawkVictoria TreygerGeneral Partner at Felicis Ventures
+ 1,994 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Apple787
Jim BreyerFounder & CEO of Breyer CapitalDaniel GrossMeta Superintelligence Labs; co-founder of NFDG and Safe SuperintelligenceSteve JurvetsonCo-founder of Future VenturesKai-Fu LeeChairman of Sinovation Ventures and CEO of 01.AISteve WozniakCo-founder of AppleBrian ActonCo-founder of WhatsApp; co-founder of Signal Foundation
+ 781 more
Also worked at Ahold USA18
PaulManaging Director at Hartenlust GroupMichael BarrySenior Advisor at Blue Haven InitiativeWim KokkedeeEthics & Compliance Officer at NPM Capital N.V.Harm van der LindeHR Manager at NPM Capital N.V.Tanya KoppsNon-Executive Director at Angels DenTomáš JanečekManaging Partner RSM Technology CZ at RSM CZ
+ 12 more
Also worked at IBM1,528
Brian ArmstrongCo-founder & CEO of CoinbaseOlivier PomelCo-founder & CEO of DatadogAlexis Le-QuocCo-founder & CTO of DatadogKen ChenaultInvestment Team at General CatalystRoger KrakoffGeneral Partner at Monta Vista CapitalAvi BharadwajInvestment Director at Intel Capital
+ 1,522 more
