Vanessa Pestritto

Strategy Lead

2024 - Current

Strategy Lead at Flare Network for growth goals and objectives, product launches, and program development. More to come

Advisor

2020

Owner

2024

Electric Gems LLC offers strategic growth consulting services for networks, ecosystems, and tech companies. Services include strategic planning, ecosystem design and implementation, and business development services including building and increasing revenue streams, closing partnerships, and acquiring grants.

Advisor

2023

Working with founders on strategic growth, fundraising, hiring, and executive advisory.

Founding Partner

2016

Lattice Ventures is a network-driven VC firm based in NYC. We invest in companies pursuing industries hungry for innovation with technologies that are defensible via network effects. Lattice and networks are core to our approach in how we source, select and support our companies as well as how we maintain a flexible fund model. Continue to support the portfolio, no longer making new investments.

Director, Partner Programs

2020 - 2024

- Led ecosystem growth for a new layer 1 blockchain, Agoric, which included developing a partner network for validators, integration partners, smart contract builders, and network asset adopters of BLD and IST. - Managed and closed grants and contributed revenue income for the Agoric Operating Company, resulting in more than $1MM in the first year. - Managed and negotiated with the capital markets community including exchanges, custodians, and market makers, resulting in more than five leading custodians and three exchange listings for the Cosmos-SDK native asset, BLD token - the staking asset in the Agoric network. - Defined partnership team growth metrics and goals on a quarterly basis. - Engaged in mentoring and growing team members experience to encourage creativity, employee growth, and meeting network goals. - Worked with the CEO on special projects for partnership opportunities, meeting with investors, and capital markets opportunities. - Member of the management team at Agoric and collaborated with the exec team and department heads on key decisions for network growth.

Xpring

2018 - 2019

Xpring @ Ripple Built a portfolio of strategic partners in the XRPL and Interledger communities. Led 15 investments, including Securitize, Agoric, XRPL Labs, Vega Protocol, Flare Network, Kava, Towo Labs, Keyless, Near Protocol and six others. Investments ranged from pre-seed to Series B under the categories - Ecosystem tools to support the network and future applications - New applications for XRPL and Interledger (ILP) - Technology to create new use cases for XRPL, including smart contracts platforms, settlement platforms and developer APIs

P3 Pod Leader

2017 - 2018

Parity Partners was founded to address the scarcity of senior-level women in the financial services industry and the companies they invest in. In 2017, I was asked to co-lead a pod for the Parity Professional Program (P3). P3 offers high achieving women in financial services and technology the opportunity to learn tactical career development skills from industry experts and gain access to a curated community of female thought leaders and influencers. In 2018, I co-led an amazing Pod of Emerging Leaders, Pod Williams, with Molly Siems.

Executive Director

2012 - 2016

Managed the operations of the largest angel investor community in New York. Reviewed and evaluated over 5000 companies for funding with 12% of companies going forward to formal investor review; over 130 companies received funding through 2015. Developed and managed deal review process and deal flow pipeline, including sourcing, evaluating, and due diligence. Increased Investment Activity by 232% since 2011. Recruited and retained members and managed investor experience. Increased Membership by 78% since 2011. Developed and managed partnerships with peers in the startup community across angel groups, VCs, accelerators and universities; mentored, judged and spoke on community panels, conferences and venture competitions. Responsible for content of monthly member meetings and pitch format. Led monthly meetings and executive sessions for angel network; attendance average of 60 investment professionals. Coached entrepreneurs on fundraising, investor communications, and deal structure. Product manager and producer for internal member network tool and investment tracking database. Secretary of the Board: produced quarterly reports on membership, investment activity and company financials; managed the annual meeting requirements and elections for the board of directors; administered annual corporate responsibilities. Partnered and collaborated with internal member run committees to increase and/or maintain the New York Angels quality in membership, process, governance, policies, education, and corporate development. Planned and managed annual budget; responsible for meeting revenue targets. Developed relationships with exclusive sponsors to maintain annual commitment to NYA. Managed Future Angels internship team in deal and committee support. Graduated 50 Future Angels since 2011.

Assistant Director

2009 - 2011

Developed experience in working in a small business setting; focused on leveraging new technologies to improve efficiencies in operations, marketing and sales. Operations: Managed day-to-day; Developed, trained and effectively managed intern program; fulfilled registrar duties; composed and edited exhibition catalogs Marketing: Developed brand partnerships; Analyzed art work to compose and publish press releases; Planned and organized gallery program development and exhibitions Sales: Advised collectors; segmented potential markets; organized sales campaigns for collectors

Consultant

2007 - 2009

Worked as Business Analyst and Product Manager. Documented requirements to ensure accuracy and completeness for developer team. Led client testing on site and developed and executed test cases on new product. Interviewed project stakeholders to understand current business processes. Maintained client relationship with project stakeholder to address key issues and drive deliverables.