Shanna Tellerman

Shanna Tellerman is an entrepreneur and technology executive whose career operates at the intersection of design and 3D technology. After earning a BFA and a master's degree in entertainment technology from Carnegie Mellon University, Tellerman focused on art, design, and computer graphics through a series of ventures. Her academic experience was influenced by professor Randy Pausch, whose course on virtual worlds inspired her to merge creative and technical disciplines into innovative products.

Tellerman began her entrepreneurial career by founding Sim Ops Studios, also known as Wild Pockets, a Carnegie Mellon spin-off focused on democratizing 3D game development. The company was acquired by Autodesk, a leader in 3D software, where Tellerman served as a product line manager and oversaw the launch of the cloud platform and Autodesk 360 applications. She later joined Google Ventures as a partner on the investing team, concentrating on early-stage technology companies and gaining insight into building and scaling businesses. Tellerman was recognized by BusinessWeek as one of the best young entrepreneurs and was featured in Tony Wagner's book "Creating Innovators." She was also named one of Silicon Valley Business Journal's Women of Influence.

Tellerman founded Modsy, an online interior design service that combined 3D virtual room visualization with guidance from expert designers. The platform enabled consumers to digitally scan their spaces and collaborate with online interior designers, partnering with more than 100 retailers including CB2 and Target. Under Tellerman's leadership, Modsy raised over $80 million in venture capital, employed hundreds of designers and engineers, and completed hundreds of thousands of design projects, establishing itself in the home design technology sector. Tellerman has spoken about the challenges of navigating a male-dominated venture capital landscape as a female founder and has advocated for building stronger networks for women in technology, including founding an annual tech retreat for women in the industry.

Modsy was acquired by Lennar, a national homebuilder and Modsy investor. Following the acquisition, Tellerman joined Lennar as chief product officer, overseeing product innovation across the organization, including land, home plans and design, and customer experience. Tellerman's career spans academic spin-off founder, Google Ventures partner, startup CEO, and executive at a Fortune 500 homebuilder, reflecting a combination of creative vision, technical expertise, and entrepreneurial experience in the fields of design, technology, and innovation.