Brian Shin
InvestorInvestor at VitalStage Ventures
San Francisco, California
Writes $500K – $2M checks · typically $1M
About
Brian Shin is Managing Partner of VitalStage Ventures AI-Native Fund and co-founder of Joinable Labs, Inc. With over 25 years in technology entrepreneurship, he has completed five exits as a co-founder, co-authored two AI patents, and served as head of AI for an $8 billion public software company. His investment experience includes early positions in HubSpot, Drift, Kayak, and other infrastructure and AI/ML companies, as well as institutional roles at In-Q-Tel and PSG/Providence Equity Partners.
Experience
- VitalStage VenturesManaging Partnercurrent2023 — presentSan Francisco, CA
- Joinable Labs, Inc.Co-Foundercurrent2024 — present
- Project PrometheusInvestorcurrent2026 — present
- ReplitInvestorcurrent2026 — present
- Together AIInvestorcurrent2026 — present
- AntarisInvestorcurrent2026 — present
- Hexo LabsInvestorcurrent2026 — present
- GroqInvestorcurrent2024 — presentSan Francisco, California, United States
- Plex ResearchInvestorcurrent2024 — presentCambridge, Massachusetts, United States
- Deepnight (YC W24)Investorcurrent2024 — presentSan Francisco, California, United States
- ego (YC W24)Investorcurrent2024 — presentSan Francisco, California, United States
- Octolane AI (YC W24)Investorcurrent2024 — presentSan Francisco, California, United States
- Toma (YC W24)Investorcurrent2024 — presentSan Francisco, California, United States
- Duckie (YC W24)Investorcurrent2024 — presentSan Francisco, California, United States
- TensorFuse (YC W24)Investorcurrent2024 — presentSan Francisco, California, United States
- CodeAnt AI (YC W24)Investorcurrent2024 — presentSan Francisco, California, United States
- Not DiamondInvestorcurrent2024 — presentSan Francisco, California, United States
- Patented.aiInvestorcurrent2023 — presentSan Francisco, California, United States
- GaiaNet.AIAdvisorcurrent2024 — presentSingapore
- defy.vcAdvisorcurrent2021 — presentWoodside, California, United States
Education
- MIT Sloan School of ManagementMBA, Biomedical Enterprise Program2004 — 2006
- Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and TechnologyS.M. (on leave), Biomedical Enterprise Program
- Tufts UniversityBachelor's degree, Biology1993 — 1997
- Upper St. Clair HS
Skills & more
StartupsCapital RaisingProduct StrategyArtificial Intelligence (AI)Start-ups95Entrepreneurship54Analytics22Mobile Devices5Online Advertising5Product Management15Digital Media4E-commerce9
+12 more
Business DevelopmentWeb VideoBusiness StrategyDigital StrategyDigital MarketingProduct DevelopmentSEMMarketing StrategySaaSEnterprise SoftwareStrategyManagementFrom Brian's professional profile.
Colleagues at VitalStage Ventures
Anirudh Seth
VitalStage AI Advisory Board at VitalStage Ventures
Cooper Parks
VitalStage Fund Operations Lead at VitalStage Ventures
Fumi Matsumoto
Venture Partner at VitalStage Ventures
Mehdi Sehlouli
AI Engineer at VitalStage Ventures
Raj Aggarwal
VitalStage AI Advisory Board at VitalStage Ventures
Stephen Gregorio
Operating Partner, Strategic Finance at VitalStage Ventures
Trond Wuellner
VitalStage AI Advisory Board at VitalStage Ventures
Waikit Lau
Venture Partner at VitalStage Ventures
Network9
Adam GrosserScout
Chairman and Managing Partner at UP Partners
Alice BentinckScout
Cofounder and CEO at Entrepreneur First
Aubrie PaganoScout
General Partner, Managing Member at Corigin Ventures
Diane HessanScout
Special Advisor at Data Point Capital
Giuseppe StutoScout
Co-Founder, Managing Partner at 186 Ventures
Kulveer TaggarScout
Investor at Angel investor
Salil DeshpandeScout
General Partner at Uncorrelated Ventures
Tom BlomfieldScout
General Partner at Y Combinator
Ally Warson
Partner at UP Partners
Investors connected to Brian in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.
Frequently asked questions
- Where does Brian Shin work?
- Brian Shin is Investor at VitalStage Ventures.
- What check size does Brian Shin write?
- Brian Shin typically writes checks of $500K – $2M.
Founder mafias
Goldman Sachs mafia235
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Fred EhrsamTraderFounded CoinbaseMatt HuangSummer AnalystFounded HotspotsDavid WhelanM&AFounded Strive Health +2Spencer RascoffInvestment BankerFounded HeyLibby +2Gordon WintrobSummer Analyst, Investment BankingFounded Newfrontinsurance +2James SteinbergAnalyst/DeveloperFounded OpenShelf +2
+ 228 more
MIT Sloan School of Management mafia85
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Hemant TanejaS.M.Founded CommureCarmichael RobertsMaster of Business Administration (MBA)Founded Lyratherapeutics +1Gleb ChuvpiloFinancial Technology Option (FTO)Founded Authy +1Ben BrittMaster of Business Administration (MBA)Founded Sundayhealth +1Paolo PriviteraMaster of Business Administration - MBAFounded 1521 Capital +1Jason TraffMaster of Business Administration (M.B.A.)Founded Shipwell +1
+ 78 more
Tufts University mafia38
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Andrew FeinbergBachelor of Arts (B.A.)Founded Brightcove +1Guy FriedmanBAFounded HigherNext +1Max SafaiMSFounded M8 Systems +1Matthew CowanFounded BreezeworksAnaheta v. Berenberg-ConsbruchBAFounded Global Fashion GroupSam BronerBachelor of Science (B.S.)Founded The Better Money Company
+ 31 more
General Catalyst mafia17
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Hemant TanejaInvestment TeamFounded CommureYuri SagalovManaging DirectorFounded AeroFS +1David ColtonVC Finance Co-opFounded AlgoUniversityKevin KingPartnerFounded LuceahealthGautam GuptaPrincipalFounded NatureBoxPrat MallickStrategic InitiativesFounded Riverbank
+ 10 more
Together AI mafia6
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Same school
Also attended MIT Sloan School of Management488
Doug LeonePartner at Sequoia Capital; former Global Managing PartnerHemant TanejaCEO & Managing Director of General CatalystBrad FeldCo-founder of Foundry and TechstarsChris MorrisProcess Specialist, Exit Readiness at Mayfair Equity PartnersBirgitteInvestor at InvestinorOlaInvestor at Investinor
+ 482 more
