Justin Ernest

Venture Investor and Board Observer

Justin Ernest is a Venture Associate at Playground Global, an early-stage venture capital firm based in San Francisco. He focuses on investments in consumer technology and has been with Playground since October 2019. His role involves identifying and supporting innovative companies across various sectors, including logistics, aerospace, decarbonization, and automation.1 4

Professional Background

Before joining Playground Global, Justin held several notable positions:

Founding Partner at NextGen Venture Partners, where he was involved in early-stage tech investments.
Growth Equity Investor at Sidewalk Labs, focusing on technology, infrastructure, and energy sectors.
MBA Extern at Advent International, concentrating on consumer technology investments.
Summer Associate at TechOperators LLC, where he worked on identifying investment opportunities in enterprise software.

Justin has also served as a Board Observer for several companies, including Pandion, Mangata Networks, and Universal Hydrogen, among others.1 3

Education

Justin holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Michigan. He also completed a seminar on Valuation, M&A, and LBO from Wall Street Prep.1 3

Investment Focus

At Playground Global, Justin is involved in investments ranging from $1 million to $20 million, with a sweet spot around $10 million. The firm manages a fund size of approximately $40 million and is known for its focus on cutting-edge technologies that drive economic and human development.2 3

Highlights

Sep 4 · Harvard Business School

A Guided Experience into the World of Entrepreneurship - MBA - Harvard Business School

Aug 15 · Harvard Business School

Stan Chang: “A Guided Experience into the World of Entrepreneurship” - Recruiting - Harvard Business School

Experience

Venture Investor at Playground Global (October 2019 - Present)

- MBA Extern at Advent International (January 2019 - May 2019) - Growth Equity at Sidewalk Labs (June 2018 - August 2018) - Summer Associate at TechOperators LLC (May 2017 - July 2017) - Senior Analyst, Capital Markets at The Coca-Cola Company (March 2015 - May 2017) - Analyst, Cash & Investments at The Coca-Cola Company (October 2013 - March 2015)