Where does Nelson Mills work?

Nelson Mills is Principal at Link Ventures.

What check size does Nelson Mills write?

Nelson Mills typically writes checks of $1M – $8M.

Nelson Mills

Investor

Principal at Link Ventures

Portsmouth, Rhode Island, United States

Writes $1M – $8M checks

About

Nelson Mills blends hands-on engineering and manufacturing experience—including leading hull development at Pure Watercraft—with venture experience, informed by a homeschooled, sailboat upbringing that fosters comfort with ambiguity and risk.

Invests in

AI & Machine LearningConsumerFintechInsurTechMarketplaces

Experience

Vatn SystemsCEOcurrent2023 — presentPortsmouth, Rhode Island, United States
URI College of EngineeringAdvisory Councilcurrent2025 — present
TandymAngel Investor2021 — 2025
Link VenturesPrincipal2022 — 2023New York City Metropolitan Area
Columbia Venture FellowsManaging Director2020 — 2022New York, United States
D4 VenturesVenture Scout2021 — 2022
Lux CapitalVenture Associate2021
Global Founders CapitalInvestor2020 — 2021New York, United States
Mills ConsultingConsultant/Founder2018 — 2020
Pure WatercraftProject Lead2017 — 2018Greater Seattle Area
SmartMouth CommunicationsDirector of Innovation2015 — 2017Salt Lake City
SmartMouth CommunicationsAssociate2014 — 2015Salt Lake City
Fairweather & Mills, LLCPartner/Co-Founder2009 — 2011New York, New York
Gorayeb & Associates, P.C.Intern2008 — 2009New York, New York

Education

Columbia Business SchoolMBA, Finance & Entrepreneurship
Columbia UniversityBA, Political Science2008 — 2011
Trinity College DublinPhD Candidate, Political Science
Kent SchoolHigh School Diploma2006 — 2008

Skills & more

Management6Research6Public Speaking4Microsoft Excel1Social Media2Microsoft Office1Agile Project Management1Agile MethodologiesLeadershipStrategy2Market Research2Project Management1

+12 more

Microsoft WordScrumProgram ManagementProduct DevelopmentProduct ManagementSQLData AnalysisProduct LaunchProduct MarketingProduct StrategyProduct Lifecycle ManagementBusiness Strategy

From Nelson's professional profile.

Colleagues at Link Ventures

Alexander D. Wissner-Gross

Investor at Link Ventures

Boaz Fachler

Managing Director at Link Ventures

Cindy Blanco

Chief Financial Officer at Link Ventures

Cynthia Blanco

CFO at Link Ventures

Dan Oliveri

Chief of Staff at Link Ventures

Dave Blundin

Managing Partner at Link Ventures

Dominic Lloyd

Managing Director at Link Ventures

Dr. Alexander D. Wissner-Gross

Advisor at Link Ventures

Frequently asked questions

Where does Nelson Mills work?: Nelson Mills is Principal at Link Ventures.
What does Nelson Mills invest in?: Nelson Mills invests in AI & Machine Learning, Consumer, Fintech, InsurTech, Marketplaces.
What check size does Nelson Mills write?: Nelson Mills typically writes checks of $1M – $8M.

Founder mafias

Columbia University mafia194

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Ben HorowitzBAFounded Opsware Chris DixonMaster of Arts - MAFounded Hunch Kevin M. SlawinB.A.Founded Perseus SENOLYTIX +2 Trevor PriceMasters of Science CandidateFounded Docent Health +2 Joey LevyBachelor of Arts (B.A.)Founded Draftpot +2 Inaki BerenguerM.A.Founded InfiniteWatch +2

+ 187 more

Columbia Business School mafia57

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Martin VarsavskyMBAFounded Certuma +3 Thomas HendrixMBAFounded Decisive Point +1 Drew PattersonMBAFounded Walkway +1 Neal GoldmanMaster of Business Administration (MBA)Founded FindCenter +1 Nimish ShahMBAFounded Apogee Therapeutics +1 Andrew GottesdienerMaster of Business Administration (M.B.A.)Founded Apogee Therapeutics +1

+ 50 more

Trinity College Dublin mafia20

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Patrick FinlayBachelor of Engineering - BEFounded Solidroad +1 Alan FoyB.B.S.; MA; MLitt.Founded Star2Star Communications William McQuillanBusinessFounded Inniti David ClarkeBAFounded VCola Dylan CollinsBAFounded Superawesome Peter HayesBachelor's degreeFounded Humanloop

+ 13 more

Lux Capital mafia8

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Ian PeikonVenture PartnerFounded Cajal Therapeutics +1 Josh WolfePartner and Co-FounderFounded Genocea Biosciences David YangPartnerFounded Latus Bio Tess van StekelenburgPartnerFounded Valthos Michelle FangResidentFounded Cerebras Robert PaullCo-Founder and Venture PartnerFounded Genocea Biosciences

+ 1 more

Link Ventures mafia7

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Dave BlundinFounder and General Partner / Managing PartnerFounded Vestmark +1 Dave BlundinManaging PartnerFounded Vestmark +1 Peter DiamandisCo-Founder and Partner, Link-XPVFounded Fountain Life Erik BrynjolfssonVenture AdvisorFounded Workhelix Rob ChaplinskyCo-Founder & Managing DirectorFounded Dryft Alexander Wissner-GrossVenture AdvisorFounded CO2Stats

Same school

Also attended Columbia Business School638

Aryo TehranianManaging Director at Mayfair Equity Partners Yibo NianInvestment Director at Intel Capital Kesha CashFounder & General Partner at Impact America Fund Mahati SridharPartner, Rise of the Rest at Revolution Giuseppe IademarcoHead of Global Partnership at P101 Ventures Wendy XiaoPartner at Northzone

+ 632 more

Also attended Columbia University687

Ben HorowitzCo-founder & General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz Doug LeonePartner at Sequoia Capital; former Global Managing Partner Chris DixonFounder & Managing Partner of a16z crypto at Andreessen Horowitz Gabriella GiglioHR & Executive Talent at General Catalyst Scott BillerInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)Erica VanInvestment Director at Intel Capital

+ 681 more

Also attended Trinity College Dublin107

Laela SturdyManaging Partner at CapitalG Justin HallPartner at Golden Gate Ventures Briac BombrunInvestment Associate at Burda Principal Investments Brian SmigaVenture Partner, Co-Founder at Alpha Partners Tom StaffordCo-founder at DST Global Veronica DaiglePresident, National Security Practice at Red Cell Incubation

+ 101 more

Also attended Kent School15

Alpin YukselogluPartner, Investing & Research at Paradigm Nick WijnbergCo-Founder at Lorimer Ventures Samuel ScofieldSenior Associate at Good Growth Capital Andrew BogleAdvisor at REFASHIOND Ventures Gregory KrisbergSenior Associate at Atlantic Vantage Point Russ MironVenture Partner at Kirenaga Partners

+ 9 more

Shared employers

Also worked at Tandym2

Vishal VasishthCo-Founder & Managing Director at Obvious Ventures Bruce ShawInvestor at The Food Loft

Also worked at Link Ventures19

Dave BlundinManaging Partner at Link Ventures Frazer AndersonInvestor at Link Ventures John D. BlundinManaging Director, Investor Relations Director at Link Ventures Boaz FachlerManaging Director at Link Ventures KarenOffice & Culture Director at Link Ventures Elena HeimsSocial Media & Platform Support Lead at Link Ventures

+ 13 more

Also worked at Columbia Venture Fellows7

Will WalkerSenior Associate at Jump Capital Ashley PimlottMBA Venture Fellow at Cade Ventures Navneet VishwanathanPrincipal, Investments at SQUADRA VENTURES Travis LeiterInvestor at Broadscale Raquel ScottSenior Associate at SemperVirens Venture Capital Elijah YiVice President at Cathay Innovation

+ 1 more

Also worked at Lux Capital51

Vyas RamananVenture Partner at Third Rock Ventures Jeff WeinsteinPartner at FJ Labs Peter HébertPartner and Co-Founder at Lux Capital Josh WolfePartner and Co-Founder at Lux Capital Segolene ScarboroughPartner, Finance at Lux Capital Sean TraynorPartner, Legal at Lux Capital

+ 45 more