Vanessa Colella
InvestorPartner at McKinsey & Company
San Francisco, California
Writes $1M – $20M checks · typically $5M
Find your path to Vanessa
3,141 people in our graph share verified history with Vanessa — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
Wesley ChanunlockedVanessa: together at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1996–2001)
×3Vanessa: together at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
×2Vanessa: together at Citi
Vanessa: together at National Venture Capital Association
About
Vanessa Colella is President and CEO of Stellarus. She has led global organizations through high-growth transformations and the adoption of emerging technologies, with recognition from Forbes and American Banker for her leadership.
Experience
- StellarusPresident and CEOcurrent2025 — presentOakland, California, United States
- La Scuola International SchoolBoard Membercurrent2020 — presentSan Francisco, California, United States
- MIT Media LabMember of the Corporation Visiting Committeecurrent2015 — presentCambridge, MA
- VisaGlobal Head of Innovation and Digital Partnerships2022 — 2025San Francisco, California, United States
- National Venture Capital AssociationBoard Member2021 — 2022Washington, District of Columbia, United States
- CitiChief Innovation Officer, Head of Citi Ventures and Head of Citi Productivity2020 — 2022
- CitiChief Innovation Officer & Head of Citi Ventures2017 — 2020San Francisco Bay Area
- CitiManaging Director, Global Head of Venture Investing and Strategic Growth Initiatives2013 — 2017Palo Alto, CA
- CitiManaging Director, Head of NA Marketing2010 — 2013New York, NY
- USVPEntrepreneur in Residence2009 — 2010Palo Alto, CA
- Yahoo!SVP Insights2008 — 2009Sunnyvale, CA
- McKinseyPartner2001 — 2008Palo Alto, CA
- Dwight SchoolBiology Teacher1991 — 1995New York, NY
- JHS 265/ Teach for AmericaScience Teacher1990 — 1991Brooklyn, NY
Skills & more
FinTech5Organizational Leadership5Digital Transformation2Artificial Intelligence (AI)Healthcare IndustryBusiness Analysis14Strategic Partnerships86Analytics73Entrepreneurship49Integrated Marketing22Mobile Internet3Brand Architecture5
+12 more
Start-upsCorporate DevelopmentProduct ManagementBusiness StrategyDigital MediaStrategyTechnologyMergers & AcquisitionsProduct DevelopmentWeb AnalyticsLeadershipManagementFrom Vanessa's professional profile.
Colleagues at McKinsey & Company
Aidan Connolly
President at Agritech Capital
Anastasia Nor
Investor at SUPPLY CHANGE CAPITAL
Arun Gupta
Founder & CEO, Quartet, Accretive, The World Bank, McKinsey at AIF
Bill Murphy
Venture Partner at LegalTech
Bruce Simpson
Founding Partner at AgeTech Capital
Chema González
Partner at Civeta Investment
Chris Wanner
Operating Partner at Black Nova VC
Dalglish Chew
Partner at Avalanche VC
Network1
Investors connected to Vanessa in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Vanessa Colella?
- Vanessa Colella is President and CEO of Stellarus. She has led global organizations through high-growth transformations and the adoption of emerging technologies, with recognition from Forbes and American Banker for her leadership.
- Where does Vanessa Colella work?
- Vanessa Colella is Partner at McKinsey & Company.
- What check size does Vanessa Colella write?
- Vanessa Colella typically writes checks of $1M – $20M.
- Where did Vanessa Colella go to school?
- Vanessa Colella studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (PhD, Media Arts and Sciences); Teachers College, Columbia University (MA, Technology and Education); The Rockefeller University.
Same school
Also attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology2,000
Fred WilsonCo-founder & Partner at Union Square VenturesElad GilSolo general partner investing through Gil CapitalAileen LeeFounder & Managing Partner of Cowboy VenturesHemant TanejaCEO & Managing Director of General CatalystPhilippe LaffontFounder & CIO of Coatue ManagementNat FriedmanCo-lead of Meta Superintelligence Labs; co-founder of NFDG
+ 1,994 more
Also attended Teachers College, Columbia University21
Louis BernemanFounding Partner at Osage University PartnersTerry ChuahFounder and CEO TheCareerLifeCycle LLC at Emerald Technology Ventures AgJanae HollandAssociate at Juvo VenturesCameron WhiteSenior Partner at NewSchools Venture FundSoenda HowellPartner at Charter School Growth FundAnika Warren WoodOperating Partner and Chief Organizational Effectiveness Officer and Member, Operating Committee at The Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation
+ 15 more
Also attended The Rockefeller University18
David KaufmanInvestor at Third Rock VenturesAdam ZongEntrepreneur-In-Residence at The Innovation SpaceSean O'ConnorPrincipal at Longwood FundEric FritzPartner at MVM Life Science PartnersAlejo ChornyPrincipal Investment at Criteria Bio VenturesTim GardnerVenture Partner at PsyMed Ventures
+ 12 more
Shared employers
Also worked at MIT Media Lab160
Ryan SheaCo-founder of Blockstack (Stacks)Matt DonahoeCo-founder of SkydioWesley ChanInvestor at Felicis VenturesDr. Catherine HavasiAdvisor at AI CapitalWill JackInvestor at Alsop Louie PartnersArjan SchütteFounder & Managing Partner at Core Venture Capital
+ 154 more
Also worked at National Venture Capital Association69
Jeremy LiewPartner at Lightspeed Venture PartnersNick WashburnSenior Managing Director, Intel Capital (North America)Tiffany SpencerHead of Marketing at Menlo VenturesAdam D'AugelliInvestor at True VenturesWill PriceInvestor at Next Frontier CapitalAziz GilaniAssociate at Mercury Fund
+ 63 more
Also worked at Citi1,228
Nina AchadjianInvestor at Index VenturesRishi ModiInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)RustyAdvisor at Clear VenturesKerry WongHead of Investor Relations at Pantera CapitalTori KorineInvestor at OpenView Venture PartnersAnn PauloseSenior Investor Relations Associate at Greycroft
+ 1,222 more
Also worked at Yahoo!435
Jess LeePartner and Chief Product Officer at Sequoia CapitalMike SpeiserManaging Director at Sutter Hill VenturesBrian ActonCo-founder of WhatsApp; co-founder of Signal FoundationStewart ButterfieldCo-founder of Slack and FlickrMax LevchinCo-founder of PayPal; founder, chairman & CEO of Affirm; partner at SciFi VCAmjad MasadCo-founder & CEO of Replit
+ 429 more