Fundraising Fox

James Lu Morrissey

InvestorFounder

General Partner at Umami Capital · Board director at Shearwater International

United States

Writes $10K – $300K checks · typically $150K

FoundedShearwater International

About

James Lu Morrissey is founder and general partner at Umami Capital, a syndicate with over $50 million in assets under management and 80+ portfolio companies that invests from seed through Series B stages as well as late-stage secondaries. He is also co-founder and board director at Mentor Collective, which was recognized as one of Fortune's Most Innovative Companies, and has been recognized as a Forbes 30U30 lister and all-star as well as an Inc 5000 honoree five times. Morrissey has served as a mentor with Techstars, 500 Startups, StartX, and the German Accelerator.

Board director at Shearwater International

Intro paths

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In turn, James can intro founders to Shearwater International's investors below.

Shearwater International's investors · 1

Umami Capitalsince 2026

Co-founders at Shearwater International

JB
Jackson BoyarExecutive Officer, Director
BS
Biswajit SinhaDirector, Promoter
MB
Michael BalcomDirector, Promoter
PG
Patrick GaraytaExecutive Officer, Director, Promoter
NH
Nicole HackbarthExecutive Officer, Promoter

Experience

  1. Umami CapitalFounder/GPcurrent2021 — present
  2. StartXBoard of Advisorscurrent2024 — present
  3. PEF CommunityMembercurrent2024 — present
  4. 500 GlobalMentorcurrent2023 — present
  5. TechstarsMentorcurrent2017 — present
  6. Mentor CollectiveCo-founder and Board Directorcurrent2024 — present
  7. Mentor CollectiveCo-founder, President, Board Director2013 — 2023
  8. Family OfficeInvestor (VC/PE/alternative assets/angel investing)current2015 — present
  9. Redee PatchAdvisor2018 — 2025
  10. ProdperfectAdvisor2018 — 2022
  11. ScheduleheadAdvisor2018 — 2020
  12. U.S. Department of StateEntrepreneur Delegate at Global Entrepreneurship Summit 20172017Hyderabad Area, India
  13. Global China ConnectionMultiple leadership positions2011 — 2017Global
  14. Startup Next BostonMentor2016Greater Boston
  15. TechstarsCo-founder of Shearwater (Techstars Boston Summer 2015 company)2015Greater Boston Area
  16. L.E.K. ConsultingManagement Consultant (Strategy, Private Equity)2012 — 2014Boston
  17. Teach for AmericaCampus Campaign Coordinator2011 — 2012MN
  18. U.S. Department of StateCritical Language Scholar2011Xi'an, China
  19. Blank LabelMarketing2010Shanghai, China
  20. Tongji UniversityResearcher2010Shanghai, China

Education

  1. Carleton CollegeB.A. w/ honors, summa cum laude
  2. Quantic School of Business and TechnologyMaster of Business Administration - MBA
  3. Stuyvesant High SchoolRegents Diploma
  4. Nankai University
  5. Shaanxi Normal University
  6. Tongji University

Skills & more

Venture Capital22Angel Investing22Seed Capital17Entrepreneurship99Leadership94Strategy67Research91Business Strategy44Management Consulting37Data Analysis31Start-ups28Event Planning20
+12 moreSocial MediaNonprofitsNon-profitsLifesciencesProgram ManagementMarketingMarket ResearchEditingStrategic PlanningPublic SpeakingManagementStatistics

Languages English · Japanese · Mandarin Chinese · Spanish

From James's professional profile.

Deals · 1

Shearwater InternationalBoard seat

via Umami Capital · filed Jul 2026 · $2M raise

Attribution from SEC filings, press coverage, and firm rosters.

Frequently asked questions

Where does James Lu Morrissey work?
James Lu Morrissey is General Partner at Umami Capital and Founder at Shearwater International.
What check size does James Lu Morrissey write?
James Lu Morrissey typically writes checks of $10K – $300K.
What companies did James Lu Morrissey found?
James Lu Morrissey founded Shearwater International.

Founder mafias

Techstars mafia227

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

David CummingsTechstars Boulder Accelerator 2012Founded Undaunted +4Jeremy AchinCloud Class 2013Founded Neo Cybernetica +2Spencer RascoffMentorFounded HeyLibby +2Sanjiv SanghaviTechstars New York City Accelerator 2012Founded Texture +2Brandon PatonMentorFounded Glider +2Weiting LiuMentorFounded Everyday.me +2

+ 220 more

Stuyvesant High School mafia32

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Josephine LeeHigh School DiplomaFounded Palette Labs +1Monte ZwebenFounded Splice Machine +1Samantha WhitmoreFounded Southparkcommons +1Daryl SewFounded Certainly Health +1Allen KramerFounded CruxKat OrekhovaFounded Vareto

+ 25 more

Quantic School of Business and Technology mafia14

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Hillary LehrExecutive MBAFounded QuillerNirmesh PatelMaster of Business Administration - MBAFounded Cambridge Cancer GenomicsMatt VoskaMaster of Business Administration - MBAFounded FlytenowTanya BreshearsExecutive MBAFounded Curious FictionsMorẹ́nikẹ́ ỌláòṣebìkanExecutive MBAFounded KemNetValentine MayakiExecutive MBAFounded Shekel Mobility

+ 7 more

Tongji University mafia8

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Markus FuhrmannFounded NAP +1Fan WenBachelor of EngineeringFounded AvocadoPaul BeckerVisiting StudentFounded Re:capMehdi OudghiriBachelor of ScienceFounded EyewaWen SangMaster's degreeFounded SmarkingMarc KlingenSemester AbroadFounded Langfuse

+ 1 more

Carleton College mafia5

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Quang TranBachelor of Arts (B.A.)Founded FleetWorksStephen GrinichBachelors of ArtsFounded HealthSparkYuta BabaBachelor’s DegreeFounded Carrot LabsIbrahim RabbaniBachelor's degreeFounded Zibra Labs

Same school

Also attended Carleton College25

Jessie HaoInvestor at Notable CapitalMira ChaurushiyaManaging Director at Westlake Village BioPartnersCharles ZedlewskiVenture Partner at Zero Prime VenturesMichelle SnyderPartner, Venture at McKesson VenturesSkyler KessenichAnalyst, Data Science at Growth Street PartnersHeather McPhersonPrincipal, Director of Impact at S2G Investments

+ 19 more

Also attended Nankai University6

Bo ZhaoDirector of Commercialization at First Bight VenturesStarry WangCommunications Associate at TDK VenturesLong HeMentor at Lair East LabsJocy LinPartner at IOSG VenturesYukun XiaAssociate at MSA CapitalDavid (Wenbo) ZhuFounder at Hey Revia

Also attended Tongji University31

Markus FuhrmannInvestor at Cavalry VenturesFan WenPrincipal & Director of AI at Fin CapitalSara TamamesInvestment Analyst at Kibo VenturesAlmudena MéndezAssociate at Ysios CapitalFlorian BreinerOperating Partner, Growth at FoodLabsJens SchleunigerManaging Partner at TX Ventures

+ 25 more

Shared employers

Also worked at Prodperfect1

Jean SiniGeneral Partner at Partech Ventures

Also worked at Techstars425

Brad FeldCo-founder of Foundry and TechstarsRustyAdvisor at Clear VenturesHouman HaghighiPartner, Business & Corporate Development at Menlo VenturesIsabelle StyslingerSenior Associate, Rise of the Rest at RevolutionWesley BarrowPartner at Correlation VenturesJack Bixby LucasGeneral Partner at Lucas Venture Group

+ 419 more

Also worked at Teach for America57

Chelcie TaylorInvestor at GGV CapitalRobin LiInvestor at GGV CapitalAmanda DawsonDirector, People Operations at StartXEllie HinkenInvestor at Khosla VenturesHeather StevensonGeneral Counsel at Red Cell IncubationChristian SealeHealthcare Investor & Operator at Pave Health Ventures

+ 51 more

Also worked at Stanford Medical School31

Lana DevlikamovaLegal Operations Manager at CapitalGKarlInvestor at TFX CapitalKunal SethyEntrepreneur in Residence, Sparrow Healthcare at Red Cell IncubationTracy GeorgeInvestor at EPIC VENTURESMaia HightowerInvestor at EPIC VENTURESEric YablonkaDigital Health Advisor at Excelerate Health Ventures

+ 25 more