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Dan Abelon

Partner at Two Sigma Ventures

Brooklyn, New York

Overview

Work Experience

  • Partner, Two Sigma Ventures

    2015 - Current

    Two Sigma Ventures (TSV) invests in enterprise and consumer startups, especially those using data science and software to solve important problems. TSV is the VC arm of Two Sigma Investments, a tech-driven asset management firm that employs ~1700 people, including over 250 PhDs, who believe in the power of math, science, data and technology to produce solutions to the world’s challenges.

  • Kauffman Fellow

    2014

    The Fellowship's goal is to develop a world-wide network of innovation investors who provide smart, connected capital to fuel entrepreneurial change. As part of the Fellowship I worked on Project VenSeed, an initiative to analyze the possibility of launching an accelerator for innovative new venture funds.

  • Investor/Advisor/Operator

    2013 - 2015

    Started early stage venture fund Edge Harris and created one of the early data driven investing platforms. Invested in or incubated 15 startups in a variety of spaces (analytics, IoT, SaaS, ecommerce, etc.) including Dataminr, Paperspace, KiwiCo, Doctor.com, Kisi, Triplemint, and others. Also angel invested in and advised iCapital Network on product development, and Fiverr on growth.

  • Founding Advisor / Investor

    2013 - 2013

    Helped get the company off the ground, move from cofounder's apartment to first office, design initial product, hire early employees, etc.

  • Co-Founder

    2007 - 2012

    Co-founded SpeedDate, one of the top ten online/mobile dating services in terms of userbase and revenue. Scaled company from idea to 20M+ members, 50+ employees. Managed product, marketing, monetization, business development and operations. Raised multiple rounds of financing from angels and Silicon Valley venture capital firm Menlo Ventures. SpeedDate differentiates itself by focusing on real-time matching on the web, Facebook, iPhone and Android.

  • Investment Analyst

    2006 - 2006

    Analyzed potential targets for IFC/World Bank investment in the Philippines’ IT-enabled Services sector. Evaluated the potential of the bamboo industry to boost employment in the country's south where there was a fair bit of instability.

  • Summer Associate, Tech M&A

    2006 - 2006

    Provided strategic and financial analysis to technology companies, including advising a client on the sale of a $100M joint venture

  • Strategy and Operational Consultant

    2002 - 2005

    Consultant on international and domestic business strategy projects for clients in a range of industries including IT, hardware, software, healthcare and cleantech. Highlights included a project in Paris and having an office in Madison Sqr Park when the first Shake Shack opened.

  • Founder, Campus Pages

    1998 - 2002

    My first real startup experience (although being a paperboy at age 13 felt pretty entrepreneurial). Published a white page / yellow page directory for local students. Printed 10,000 copies per year and hired and trained dozens of students to sell ads. Proudest accomplishment was coaching a painfully shy poetry PhD as she transformed into a sales machine.

  • Sales Strategy

    2000 - 2000

    First exposure to VC. Followed around an investor as he evaluated business plans, and then was placed in sales at his portfolio company Moving.com. Short lived experience due to ACL surgery.

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