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Adam Nelson

Managing Director at FirstMark Capital

Adam Nelson is a Partner at FirstMark Capital, a venture capital firm based in New York City.1 Here's a detailed profile of his professional background:

Current Role

Adam Nelson currently serves as a Managing Director at FirstMark Capital, a position he has held since July 2019.1 At FirstMark, he focuses on investments in Fintech and Vertical Software, including companies like Kasa, Backflip, and Workstep.3

Professional Experience

Adam has an extensive background in venture capital and technology:

Venture Capital::

  • Partner at Social Capital LP (2016-2018)
  • Principal at Social Capital LP (2015-2016)
  • Venture Partner at South Park Commons (2019)
  • Board Partner at Social Capital LP (2018-2019)1

Technology Industry::

  • Head of Revenue Partnerships at Dropbox (2015)
  • Head of Channel Partnerships at Dropbox (2012-2014)
  • Business Development Intern at Twitter (2011)1

Finance::

  • Investment Associate at Lindsay Goldberg (2008-2010)
  • Investment Banking Analyst at Merrill Lynch (2006-2008)1

Education

  • MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business (2010-2012)
  • Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Brown University (2002-2006)1

Community Involvement

Adam is actively involved in the New York fintech community. Since 2022, he has been organizing Fintech Driven, a private community for fintech leaders in NYC.3 He's also a champion of FirstMark's Founder Guild, an invite-only community for early-stage founders in New York.3

Investment Focus

At FirstMark, Adam specializes in early-stage venture investing, particularly in enterprise SaaS and marketplaces.2 He has a particular interest in fintech, proptech, and vertical software solutions.4 Adam is known for his hands-on approach, working closely with founding teams as a partner and aiming to be a force multiplier.2

Adam Nelson brings a unique perspective to his role, having experience as a liberal arts graduate, private equity investor, operator, and now venture capitalist.2 His diverse background allows him to work effectively with teams tackling complex problems in various markets.

Highlights

Jan 7 · twitter

Such a pleasure working with @mrbenwinn who is so integral to making the FM Platform machine what it is and of course @DezFleming who's been an incredible partner and sounding board. So excited for the bright future these guys have at @FirstMarkCap

Apr 29 · linkedin

We're excited to continue doubling down on the future of Real Estate technology with our investment in Backflip. The company is arming the SMB Real Estate investor with modern analytics, technology and capital to modernize the housing stock of America. Joshua Ernst and Jake Rome have built a fantastic team and the growth over the past 12 months has been exceptional. This investment speaks to our continued belief in the future of this asset class being transformed by technology following investments in Kasa, Revela, Inc., Orchard and more. We took the opportunity to write up some of our thesis on the industry here:

Related Questions

What are some of the companies Adam Nelson has invested in at FirstMark Capital?
How did Adam Nelson's experience at Dropbox influence his investment strategy?
What is the Fintech Driven community that Adam Nelson organized?
How does Adam Nelson's background in investment banking and private equity shape his approach to venture capital?
What is the "Negative CAC" strategy that Adam Nelson coined?
Adam Nelson
Adam Nelson, photo 1
Adam Nelson, photo 2
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Experience

Managing Director at FirstMark Capital (July 2019 - Present)
Venture Partner at South Park Commons (February 2019 - August 2019), Board Partner at Social Capital LP (October 2018 - July 2019), Partner at Social Capital LP (December 2016 - October 2018), Princip at Merrill Lynch (2006 - 2008)

Education

MBA, Stanford Graduate School of Business (2010 - 2012), Bachelor's degree in Political Science, Brown University (2002 - 2006)

Location

San Francisco Bay Area