About
Will McGinnis is an entrepreneur and data science executive with over a decade of experience spanning AI/ML, technology, and business strategy. He trained as a mechanical engineer at Auburn University, then co-founded Predikto, a predictive maintenance startup for heavy industry that was acquired by United Technologies in 2018. He went on to lead Applied Data at Raytheon Technologies/UTC, built the data science function at Aumni (acquired by JPMorgan Chase in 2023), and led Data Science for Aumni within JPMorgan through 2025. He is now Chief Data Scientist at Scale Venture Partners, where he builds AI infrastructure to augment investment decision-making. He is also an active open-source contributor in the Python data science ecosystem.
Invests in
AI & Machine LearningData & Infrastructure
Beyond investing
- Founded
- Co-founded Predikto, an AI/ML predictive maintenance startup for distributed assets, which was acquired by United Technologies in 2018.
- Education
- Earned a B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Auburn University.
- Communities
- Organizes an Atlanta AI dinner event. Based in Atlanta and offers to grab coffee with people in the area.
- Awards
- Completed an Eagle Scout project building a pavilion and sandbox at Simpsonville UMC.
- Hobbies
- Enjoys cycling, skiing, and woodworking/DIY building projects. Built a variety of backyard structures including a retaining wall, a shed used as his home office, an outdoor kitchen, and a deck.
- Family
- Is married and has a daughter. Maintains and continues his family's genealogy, a McGinnis history project begun by his grandfather Richard W. McGinnis.
- More
- His graduate research focused on multi-body dynamics and system wear in complex aerospace systems, including missile launcher wear modeling. Holds U.S. patents including one for dynamically updated predictive modeling and one for a control system stabilizing a single-line suspended mass in yaw.
From Will's own website — common ground for a warm intro.
Experience
- Scale Venture PartnersChief Data Scientistcurrent2025 — presentAtlanta, Georgia, United States
- J.P. MorganExecutive Director, Head of Data Science, Aumni2023 — 2025Atlanta Metropolitan Area
- AumniVP Data Science2022 — 2023Atlanta, Georgia, United States
- Raytheon TechnologiesSenior Director, Head of Applied Data2021 — 2022Atlanta, Georgia, United States
- Raytheon TechnologiesDirector, Head of Data Science2018 — 2021Atlanta, Georgia
- Predikto (Acquired by UTC in 2018)Chief Scientist, Senior Architect, Co-Founder2014 — 2018Greater Atlanta Area
- Auburn UniversityGraduate Research Assistant2013 — 2014Auburn, Alabama Area
- Auburn UniversityResearcher2012 — 2014Auburn, Alabama Area
- Naval Surface Warfare CenterNREIP Intern2012Panama City, Florida Area
Education
- Auburn UniversityB.S and M.S., Mechanical Engineering2008 — 2014
- Georgia Institute of Technology2010
Skills & more
Business Intelligence (BI)Venture CapitalPrivate EquityMechanical Engineering18Engineering8Control Systems Design6Control Theory4Optimization4Eagle PCB3Heat Transfer2Modeling3Eaglesoft3
+12 more
ManufacturingPredictive MaintenanceFinite Element AnalysisData AnalysisMachine LearningData ScienceApache SparkStart-upsSearchStrategyManagementLeadershipLanguages English
From Will's professional profile.
Same school
Also attended Auburn University19
Chris MoodyPartner at Foundry Group investing in technology companiesTy ReillyAnalyst at Miami University Redhawk VenturesPhoebe FanDirector of Operations at Foothill VenturesJenna BryantGeneral Partner at Embedded VenturesAbby WagnerSenior Accountant at F-Prime Capital PartnersWade ArmstrongDirector of Investments at Harbert Growth Partners
+ 13 more
Also attended Georgia Institute of Technology169
Brando De CourtenData Engineer at P101 VenturesTom DyalCo-Founder at Redpoint VenturesRaymond WangInvestor at GGV CapitalJaya GuptaInvestor at Foundation CapitalJames WangGeneral Partner at Creative VenturesLeSean BrownAssociate at Context Ventures
+ 163 more
Shared employers
Also worked at J.P. Morgan689
Rishi ModiInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)Akshat GoenkaInvestor at Moonfire VenturesNaseem MoumeneVice President at NorthzoneFranklin BiGeneral Partner at Pantera CapitalMegan LightcapPartner, Creator Fund at Slow VenturesNatalie SchmitkeManaging Director Capital Networks at Burda Principal Investments
+ 683 more
Also worked at Aumni7
Will PriceInvestor at Next Frontier CapitalFranz KoflerInvestor at Next Frontier CapitalLokesh SikariaFounder & Managing Partner at Moneta VenturesBrendan BakerPartner at Rackhouse Venture Management LpAlex SoffeGeneral Partner & CFO at Kickstart FundSydnie KeddingtonSenior Associate at Kickstart Fund
+ 1 more
Also worked at Raytheon Technologies3
Also worked at Predikto (Acquired by UTC in 2018)1
Colleagues at Scale Venture Partners
A.J. Aldana
Head of Ecosystem at Scale Venture Partners
Abby Strong
Marketing & Operations Manager at Scale Venture Partners
Alexander Niehenke
Partner at Scale Venture Partners
Andy Vitus
Partner at Scale Venture Partners
Anika Ayyar
Associate at Scale Venture Partners
Anna Shults Held
Editorial Director at Scale Venture Partners
Ariel Tseitlin
Partner at Scale Venture Partners
Aurelia Han
Associate at Scale Venture Partners