Kelli Fontaine

Partner at Cendana Capital

Kelli Fontaine is a prominent figure in the venture capital industry, currently serving as a Partner at Cendana Capital, a firm based in San Francisco that specializes in seed and early-stage venture capital investments. She began her tenure at Cendana in 2018 as Chief of Staff and was promoted to Partner in 2020. Her role involves focusing on investments in early-stage venture capital funds globally, and she has been instrumental in enhancing the firm's data management and operational efficiencies.2

Education and Early Career

Fontaine holds a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast News and a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from the University of Colorado Boulder. Her professional journey includes a variety of roles in finance and consulting. Before joining Cendana Capital, she worked as a Director at Trinity Capital Investment and as an Underwriter at RPX Corporation. Additionally, she co-founded a startup called Dish-it and served as a Relationship Associate at Credit Suisse.1

Contributions and Expertise

At Cendana Capital, Fontaine has been pivotal in scaling the firm's operations and improving workflows, particularly through the implementation of advanced data management solutions. Her background in finance and experience with data systems have allowed her to effectively analyze and track investments, contributing to the firm's strategic growth and success in the venture capital space.2 3

Overall, Kelli Fontaine's diverse expertise and leadership at Cendana Capital position her as a significant player in the venture capital landscape, particularly in nurturing early-stage funds and enhancing operational efficiencies within the firm.

Highlights

Jan 25 · youtube.com

Inside Cendana Capital's Strategy for Nurturing Early-Stage VC Funds

Experience

Partner at Cendana Capital (2020 - Present)

Chief Of Staff at Cendana Capital (2018 - 2020), Advisor at Investors & Startups (2010 - Present), Director at Trinity Capital Investment (2016 - 2017), Underwriter at RPX Corporation (2012 - 2014), Co-Founder at Dish-it (2010 - 2011), Relationship Associate at Credit Suisse (2007 - 2010), Marketing Associate at Capital Group (2005 - 2007), Athletic Media Relations Student Assistant at University of Colorado Boulder (2002 - 2004)

Education

BS in Marketing, University of Colorado at Boulder - Leeds School of Business (2000 - 2004), BA in Broadcast News, University of Colorado Boulder (2000 - 2004), High School Diploma, Cheyenne Mountain High School (1996 - 2000)