Shelly Rao

Director, Corporate Development & Ventures

2024 - Current

Drive early-stage venture investments and partnerships across cybersecurity, AI, data and quantum. Select investments: Zededa (Observer), Lightbend (Observer), K2 cyber (acquired by New Relic), Fungible (acquired by Microsoft), Quantum Bridge (Observer), among other undisclosed transactions.

Principal, Corporate Development & Ventures

2021 - 2024

VP, Finance & Operations

2021 - 2021

Backed by Playground Global, Universal Hydrogen is on a mission to make carbon-free aviation a reality.

Head, Director of Finance

2019 - 2021

Backed by IA, Costanoa, Tribe Capital and Canaan, Kepler designs, builds, launches, and operates an advanced network of low earth orbit satellites with the ultimate goal of bringing internet to outer space. As the first non-technical hire/finance lead reporting to the CEO, I oversaw FP&A, accounting, corporate development and fundraising activities.

Finance Manager

2019 - 2019

Associate, Investment Banking

2017 - 2019

M&A

Associate, Investment Banking

2016 - 2017

Analyst, Investment Banking

2015 - 2016

M&A, Diversified Industries Group

Financial Markets Rotation Program

2014 - 2015