Charlie O'Donnell is a prominent figure in New York City's startup world. With almost two decades of experience in the industry, he is widely known as one of the most accessible early stage investors in the city. He gained valuable experience as an analyst at Union Square Ventures before moving on to become a Principal at First Round Capital, where he played an important role in opening the company's first office in NYC. He founded Brooklyn Bridge Ventures in 2012 and has since made more than 70 investments in pre-seed and seed rounds. The fund was the first of its kind in Brooklyn, and it often leads or co-leads investments in diverse startups such as Hungryroot, Canary, and The Wing. Charlie is also a well-respected teacher, having lectured on entrepreneurship and business at Fordham University and NYU-Poly. He is a triathlon athlete and founder of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse, a free kayaking program in the East River.