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Kelly Chen

Founding Team at NATO Innovation Fund (NIF)

London, England

Overview 

Kelly Chen is a Deep Tech Investor and Board Member based in London, England, with a background in financial modeling, data analysis, and valuation. She has notable achievements in investing in companies like iCOMAT and Recycleye at Series A stages, focusing on sectors such as Manufacturing, ClimateTech/CleanTech, and DeepTech. With a joint BS/MS from Columbia Engineering and an MBA from The Wharton School, Kelly has held key positions at NATO Innovation Fund and DCVC, while also serving on the boards of companies like Recycleye, SafelyYou, and Fulfil, showcasing her expertise in the investment and growth of tech startups.

Work Experience 

NI

NATO Innovation Fund (NIF)

  • Founding Team

    2023 - Current

    Inaugural €1B deep tech VC backing ambitious founders in both public and private sectors to secure the future for the Alliance's 1B citizens. Our focus areas include energy, AI, defence, climate, industrials, space, health, and biotechnology. NIF is the first multi-sovereign-backed fund and operates as a standalone VC, leading both early stage investments and fund-of-funds. NIF brings together a founding team with over 6 decades of deep tech investing, alongside a Board of Directors and Limited Partners at the highest levels of government, venture capital, innovation and defence.

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iCOMAT

  • Investor + Board Observer

    2024

    Lightest high-performance advanced composite structures for aerospace, automotive, and defense - at unprecedented scale and efficiency.

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DCVC (Data Collective)

  • Partner

    2017 - 2023

    With $4B AUM, DCVC backs early stage entrepreneurs applying deep tech to transform giant industries. Our portfolio spans geospatial infrastructure, risk transformation, computational care, robotics, and AI, with a focus on pushing the global frontier of technology. I enjoy working on problems arising from fundamental population and labor driven shifts. I am especially excited about teams building revolutionary tech in AI, robotics, manufacturing, logistics, sustainability, and future of work.

DCVC backs entrepreneurs using deep tech to solve problems and multiply the benefits of capitalism for everyone while reducing its cost.

dcvc.com
R

Recycleye

  • Investor + Board Member

    2023 - 2023

    Groundbreaking computer vision + robotics to reinvent the economics of recycling, tackling the 2 billion tons of municipal waste annually.

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Fulfil

  • Investor + Board Member

    2020 - 2023

    Advanced robotics and autonomy to revolutionize online grocery

AR

Agility Robotics

  • Investor + Board Observer

    2020 - 2023

    Purpose-built advanced mobility, perception, autonomous navigation, and manipulation in logistics

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SafelyYou

  • Investor + Board Member

    2017 - 2023

    Computer vision technology that tackles the number one concern in eldercare, resulting in 70% fewer ER visits and 40% fewer falls

SafelyYou provides fall detection and prevention technology for dementia care.

Raised $71,324,998.00 from Horizon Technology Finance.

safely-you.com
SM

Swift Medical

  • Board Member

    2021 - 2022

    Transforms clinical wound care management, resulting in 48% less nurse time and 300% faster healing rate

BE

Brimstone Energy

  • Investor + Board Observer

    2020 - 2022

    Uniquely creates 100% process-emissions-free regulated cement (OPC), which traditionally accounts for 8% of global carbon emissions

Brimstone is a hardware cleantech startup that aims to reduce CO2 emissions through innovative technologies.

Raised $244,000,000.00 from US Department of Energy.

brimstone.com
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Smartex.ai

  • Investor + Board Observer

    2019 - 2022

    Computer vision platform tackles the $30B+ of annual textile manufacturing waste, allowing remediation of textile defects at production, 100% traceability and near 0% defect

Education 

Investments 

iCOMAT

Series A

Total funding: $23M

Recycleye

Series A

Total funding: $24M

Articles About Kelly

Relevant Websites