Jeanne Sullivan

Jeanne M. Sullivan is a venture capitalist and entrepreneur with a career spanning more than three decades in technology investing. Sullivan is the co-founder of StarVest Partners, a New York City-based venture capital firm that raised $400 million and focused on technology-enabled business services companies. Before launching StarVest Partners, Sullivan was a partner at Olivetti Ventures, where the team invested in more than 40 early and growth-stage technology companies. Earlier in her career, she gained operational experience at AT&T and Bell Labs, serving as product manager for a range of voice, data, and software products, including a parallel processor used in digital graphics and image processing.

At StarVest Partners, Sullivan played a key role in the early investment in NetSuite, supporting the company from its early stages through its public offering on the New York Stock Exchange. Sullivan has served on the boards of multiple private and two public companies and has extensive experience developing go-to-market strategies for expansion-stage businesses. She was part of the founding group for the New York New Media Association Angel Investors Program, one of the first angel investor groups in New York City and a predecessor to New York Angels. The New York Angels recognized her with the OPEL Award for her contributions to the startup ecosystem.

Sullivan's work in venture capital and entrepreneurship has included serving on the Global Board of Trustees of Astia, a nonprofit dedicated to funding high-growth women entrepreneurs. She has also been a member of the Women's Leadership Board at the Harvard Kennedy School, an Athena Entrepreneur Fellow for Barnard College, and a board member of the New York Venture Capital Association. Sullivan has been active with organizations including Springboard, Golden Seeds, and Women 2.0. The New York Hall of Science honored her for inspiring girls and women in STEM fields, where she also served as a trustee.

Sullivan later transitioned her expertise to the cannabis industry, co-founding the Arcview Collective Fund and serving as chief investment officer of Arcview Ventures. She has advocated for the legalization and regulation of cannabis, applying her technology investing experience to this emerging sector. Sullivan also leads Sullivan Adventures LLC, focusing on AI-driven investment decision-making in venture capital.

As a keynote speaker and moderator, Sullivan has appeared at more than 100 events and conferences, sharing insights on venture capital, fundraising, and entrepreneurship. She is recognized for her efforts to demystify venture capital for founders, particularly women, and to promote a more inclusive approach to building and funding new companies.