Vernon Lee Jr

Managing Partner, Lightship Anchor Fund at Lightship Capital

Panellist

Mr. Vernon Lee, Jr is a Managing Partner in the Lightship Anchor Fund, a $2B targeted global Fund of Funds investing in Black venture managers across the Americas, Africa, and Europe. Anchor also invests in startups at the Series B & C stage.

Prior to joining Lightship, Lee was a founding partner of The Marathon Fund, an early-stage equity fund investing in high-growth businesses. Marathon deploys capital in exceptional entrepreneurs that have been historically underrepresented (Black, LatinX, Women, Disabled, Veterans, and LGBTQ) in the private capital markets.

He continues to serve as a member of the Global Impact Fund II investment committee.

Mr. Lee founded Brightwood Management Partners, LLC, a disabled Veteran owned advisory firm to several public and privately held companies, investors, entrepreneurs, and entertainment partners.

Mr. Lee previously chaired the Venture Capital Access Program (VCAP), a partnership between The Marathon Foundation, Harvard Business School Alumni Angels of New York (HBSAANY), and the National Association of Investment Companies (NAIC).

Mr. Lee previously served as the U.S. planning committee co-chair for the United States/France Private Equity and Venture Capital Summit in Paris, France. The U.S. delegation, representing over $500 billion (US) in assets under management included several public pension fund investors. Program sponsors included The Senate of the Republic of France, The Greater Paris Investment Agency, The French Venture Capital Association, and U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration (ITA).

Mr. Lee was previously a Director in PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) Business Advisory Practice with responsibility for providing operational business improvement strategies, governance, controls, strategic planning, and process reengineering for clients in the Technology, InfoComm, and Entertainment & Media industry. Mr. Lee also served as PwC’s relationship manager for minority venture capital/private equity initiatives to include increasing access to capital. He was also responsible for leading the implementation of program/project management solutions and methodologies for PwC’s Global Risk Management Solutions - InfoComm Advisory Services group. While in this position, Mr. Lee led the global deployment (U.S., UK, Japan, France, & Germany) of an Internet Protocol (IP) VPN for a UK based telecom carrier.

Prior to that position, Mr. Lee was an Air Force acquisition officer in the Satellite Communications Program Office and Aeronautical Systems Center where he provided program management, research & development, and financial management expertise. Mr Lee received several junior officer of the quarter awards while also being actively involved in the Tuskegee Airman, Inc Military Affairs Committee.

Mr Lee has been a guest panelist at South by Southwest (SXSW), Africa Venture Capital Association conference, DC Startup Week, Culture Shift Summits, PenFed Foundation Veteran Entrepreneur Investment Program, and a moderator at SuperReturn Africa. He has also been a special guest on several podcasts such as Atlanta Startup, Compassionate Capitalist Show, and The Invisible Man.

Mr. Lee is a co-founder of The Hampton Roads Youth Foundation and a co-host of the 757 Roundtable Talk podcast. Podcast guests have included Coach Mike Tomlin, Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders, Michael Vick, Olympians Francena McCoroy & Kelley Wells Brinkley, Terry Kirby, Dwight Hollier, Robert Banks, actor John Amos, Congressman Bobby Scott, Mayor Donnie Tuck, and others.

He is a past board member of Southeast Fairfax County Development Corporation & Embark Richmond Highway, and past Chair of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc’s (Washington, DC Chapters) Youth Performing Arts/Talent Hunt Committee. He is also past co-chair of the Alfred Street Baptist Church Men’s Ministry Scholarship Endowment Committee.

Mr. Lee received his MA in International Affairs from the University of Dayton and his BBA in Management from Howard University. He is a life member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. He is based in the Washington, DC area and is married with one daughter.