About Us
Learn more about Emerging Ventures
Meet the Team
David Mandel
Managing Partner
Prior to his current career in venture capital, Mr. Mandel built, operated and exited 4 different successful businesses in the Insurance and Finance industries over a 28-year period.
Much of the success of these businesses is attributed to his logical systems thinking, aided by his technical training and advanced Mathematics and Computer Science education, which he used to create and evolve unique perspective and, and models for underwriting, pricing, risk selection, etc., while always taking a fresh outsider’s approach to each venture.
While Mr. Mandel has been a life-long investor, starting in 2014 he took a strong interest in the technology start-up ecosystem, and is now applying his thinking to this endeavor.
Mr. Mandel is a very active angel investor. To date, he has invested in over 500 early-stage technology start-ups. He is an active member of several prominent angels groups, a frequent judge and panelist at start-up pitch events, and is considered a thought leader. Follow Mr. Mandel’s Blog at DavidMandel.Blog and on social media.
Benett Cole
Partner
Mr. Cole is a 30-year financial services industry veteran with extensive experience in investment banking, capital markets, and investment management.
After founding the investment banking firm FalconBridge Capital Markets, LLC in 2005, Bennett oversaw the organization’s activities for more than 15 years and guided it to several top national rankings in its sectors of expertise. Previously, he held leadership positions and sat on management committees at CSG Investments, Inc. (an $8 billion AUM investment management company), Raymond James & Associates, Wells Fargo Securities, and Bank of America Securities.
As a technology investor, Mr. Cole has been involved in myriad start-up investments and acted as a limited partner in several venture capital and private equity funds over the past decade. In addition, Bennett serves as an advisor to technology-focused angel funds and seed-stage investment clubs.
Mr. Cole is a graduate of the Kenan Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (BS) and the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University (MBA).