Bill Clerico

Founder & Managing Partner

2022 - Current

Early stage investors in founders building solutions to extreme wildfire

Board Member

2021

Managing Director, Chase Merchant Services

2017 - 2021

Following WePay's acquisition by J.P. Morgan, I led the global team responsible for integrated payments and small business merchant services, including WePay. Combining the capabilities, franchise and reach of J.P. Morgan with startup culture and technology talent, we built instant digital boarding, modern APIs, new terminal hardware and new products like Chase Business Complete Banking - a new type of small business checking account featuring the ability to accept credit cards in the Chase mobile app.

CEO & Co-founder

2008 - 2021

Founded WePay and led the company through launch, growth and a major pivot, achieving profitability and being acquired by JP Morgan Chase in December 2017. Our journey was not all "up and to the right" - it was a 12 year grind, frequently interrupted by doses of exuberant joy and sheer terror. Post acquisition, WePay became the integrated payments arm of Chase Merchant Services and the technology platform for a total reboot of SMB payment products. I'm proud of what we accomplished, but even more so how we did it: by building a team of 500+ dedicated, values-driven, customer-focused, kind and human people. I feel lucky I had a chance to work with them.

Part-time Partner

2016 - 2019

Offered advice & empathy to founders in the trenches.

Investment Banking

2007 - 2008

Began my career in investment banking, providing M&A and capital markets advisory to software and digital media companies.

Disaster Services Team Leader

2003 - 2008

Had the privilege of leading the award winning & all volunteer Boston College Disaster Action Team. We were on call Monday nights to respond to small & mid-sized disasters in the Massachusetts Bay area, including house fires, blizzards, floods & national security drills.

Technology Analyst (Intern)

2006 - 2006

Spent a summer doing system and order analytics for high frequency trading order routers.

Network Engineer (Intern)

2002 - 2006

I helped build some of the first battlefield video teleconferencing systems for the U.S. Army during summers and academic breaks.

Advance Aide

2003 - 2004

Advance Aid to Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney & Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healy. Assisted in event production & planning, coordinated and faciliated appearances.