Michael Vaughan
InvestorCo-Founder and General Partner at Vera Equity · Senior Advisor at Stripes · CEO, IG US Holdings, parent of tastytrade, tastylive, tastyfx and tastycrypto at tastytrade
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Writes $250K – $1M checks · typically $500K
Find your path to Michael
341 people in our graph share verified history with Michael — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
Ann LamontunlockedMichael: together at Oak HC/FT (2019–2022)
×2Michael: together at PayPal
×5Michael: together at Stripes
×2Michael: together at First Round Fast Track
About
An experienced fintech operator and investor with over 20 years at high-growth tech companies. Most notably served as COO of Venmo from Series A through its acquisition by PayPal, scaling the platform to 40 million active users and $300 million in annual revenue. Since 2019, has built an angel portfolio of over 75 tech companies and serves as an operating partner at Stripes, a growth equity firm.
Contact· self-published, not guessed
Experience
- tastytradeCEO, IG US Holdings, parent of tastytrade, tastylive, tastyfx and tastycryptocurrent2025 — presentChicago, Illinois, United States
- IG GroupChief Executive Officer, IG North Americacurrent2025 — presentChicago, Illinois, United States
- StripesSenior Advisorcurrent2025 — present
- StripesOperating Partner2022 — 2025New York City Metropolitan Area
- Vera EquityCo-Founder and General Partnercurrent2021 — present
- Stem Disintermedia Inc.Board Member2019 — 2023Los Angeles Metropolitan Area
- Oak HC/FTVenture Partner2019 — 2022Greater New York City Area
- First Round Fast TrackMentor to Startup Founder/CEOs2019 — 2022Greater Philadelphia
- CIBOBoard Member2020 — 2021Greater Boston
- Verse Technologies IncBoard Member2019 — 2020Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
- PayPalVenmo, COO2013 — 2019
- VenmoChief Operating Officer2011 — 2019Greater New York City Area
- TicketleapVice President of Business Development & Sales2008 — 2011Greater Philadelphia Area
- J.G. WentworthManaging Director, Channel Partners & Business Development2004 — 2007Greater Philadelphia Area
- Telephia IncDirector, Product Operations1999 — 2004San Francisco Bay Area
- SynygyConsultant1998 — 1999
Skills & more
Executive ManagementAngel InvestingVenture CapitalSales ManagementSales OperationsInside SalesDirect SalesBusiness IntelligenceProgram ManagementProduct ManagementProduct DevelopmentOperations Management
+12 more
Start-upsStrategyEntrepreneurshipBusiness DevelopmentCRMAnalyticsBusiness StrategyChannel PartnersInvestmentsMentoringLeadershipStrategic ThinkingFrom Michael's professional profile.
Colleagues at Vera Equity
Network4
Alex CookScout
Partner at Tiger Global Management
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Bryan CiambellaScout
General Partner at PROOF
Chloe SteinbergScout
Partner at Sapphire Ventures
Diogo MyrrhaScout
Partner at Peak Ventures
Investors connected to Michael in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Michael Vaughan?
- An experienced fintech operator and investor with over 20 years at high-growth tech companies. Most notably served as COO of Venmo from Series A through its acquisition by PayPal, scaling the platform to 40 million active users and $300 million in annual revenue. Since 2019, has built an angel portfolio of over 75 tech companies and serves as an operating partner at Stripes, a growth equity firm.
- Where does Michael Vaughan work?
- Michael Vaughan is Co-Founder and General Partner at Vera Equity.
- What check size does Michael Vaughan write?
- Michael Vaughan typically writes checks of $250K – $1M.
- Where did Michael Vaughan go to school?
- Michael Vaughan studied at The Wharton School (Bachelor of Science - BS, Economics; Concentrations in Entrepreneurial Management and Operations & Information Systems); University of Pennsylvania (Bachelor of Science - BS, Economics); The Hill School.
Founder mafias
The Wharton School mafia568
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Kunal BahlMarketing and Operations StrategyFounded SnapdealJack AbrahamBachelors of Science in Economics *Dropped outFounded Atomic Labs +3Gleb ChuvpiloMaster of Business Administration (MBA)Founded Thor Directed Energy +6Ankur JainBachelor of Science (BS)Founded Kairos +3Jagmeet LambaMBAFounded Certa +3Edward LandoBachelor's DegreeFounded Link +2
+ 561 more
PayPal mafia115
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Peter ThielCo-founder & CEOFounded PalantirReid HoffmanBoard member from 1998; Executive Vice PresidentFounded LinkedIn +2David SacksCOO / Head of ProductFounded YammerKeith RaboisExecutive Vice President, Business Development, Public Affairs & PolicyFounded OpendoorJoe LonsdaleIntern, FinanceFounded Opto +5Elon MuskCo-founder (X.com); CEO 2000Founded Tesla +5
+ 108 more
Oak HC/FT mafia8
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Eyal ShinarAdvisorFounded Black Ore Technologies +1Nuno SebastiãoCo-Founder and CEO of Feedzai (portfolio company)Founded FeedzaiMarc AndruskoPartnerFounded OpswareJon WeinerVenture PartnerFounded HlthJenn AdamsAdvisorFounded August BioservicesJohn MaraganoreAdvisorFounded Alnylam
+ 1 more
Stripes mafia4
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
The Hill School mafia3
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Same school
Also attended The Wharton School2,000
Fred WilsonCo-founder & Partner at Union Square VenturesSarah GuoFounder & General Partner of ConvictionJosh KopelmanFounder and Partner at First Round CapitalAydin SenkutFounder & Managing Partner at FelicisKunal BahlCo-founder of Snapdeal; co-founder of Titan CapitalJack AbrahamFounder, CEO & Managing Partner of Atomic
+ 1,994 more
Also attended University of Pennsylvania1,233
Brian ActonCo-founder of WhatsApp; co-founder of Signal FoundationKunal BahlCo-founder of Snapdeal; co-founder of Titan CapitalDasha MaggioPartner at Felicis Ventures, writer on venture capital and founder psychologyNancy WangInvestor at Felicis VenturesLeah von SiemensPartner at Manta Ray VenturesEghosa OmoiguiFounder and Managing General Partner at EchoVC Partners
+ 1,227 more
Also attended The Hill School18
Natalie MullinsInvestor at Bain Capital CryptoColten HabeckerSenior Associate at Mainsail PartnersDouglas HudsonManaging Partner at Braxton Capital Ventures Pte Ltd.Peter MunsillManaging Director, Public Fund Capital Partnerships at Lead Edge CapitalCristobal CuartCo-Managing Partner at All Seas Capital PartnersMiguel OjangurenSenior Associate at Oquendo Capital, SGEIC,
+ 12 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Stem Disintermedia Inc.5
Also worked at First Round Fast Track19
Juan Carlos SotoVenture Partner at Copper Sky CapitalErica WaichmanHead of People & Community at Canvas VenturesCamila Sgai FrancoProduct Fellow at Mighty CapitalRob Schoder, Jr.Venture Partner at Barrel VenturesAlan DaySenior Associate, Investments at New York Life VenturesMichael JosephCo-Founder and Co-CEO at Ion Pacific
+ 13 more
Also worked at CIBO10
Noubar AfeyanInvestor at Flagship PioneeringBrett WongPrincipal at Anterra CapitalSusan Hunt StevensExecutive in Residence at Earthshot VenturesJoseph PianelliOperating Partner at Stage 1 VenturesIgnacio MartinezGeneral Partner at Flagship PioneeringRyan RichtFounder at Well Principled
+ 4 more
