As a recovering engineer (license to code was revoked in 2008, currently under appeal), Graham Brooks loves to dig deep with techie founders. He joined .406 Ventures in 2007, after nine years of technology-oriented operating, investing and start-up experience.
At .406 he leads the firm’s Data + AI strategy. Graham also is involved with the firm’s university outreach initiatives including the .406 Student Fellows program.
Prior to joining the dark side, Graham was an intrapreneur with the New Ventures Group and then Business Development Manager at Bose, where, in addition to upgrading his personal audio set-up, he led the team that identified, evaluated and structured strategic investment and acquisition opportunities within the digital media and consumer products markets.
Prior to being an intrapreneur, Graham was an entrepreneur, Co-founding Accentus, a spin-out of Dartmouth College, focused on bringing innovative solutions to the financial trading industry. At Accentus, Graham led product management and sales and developed significant scar tissue from fundraising in 2002.
Out of college, Graham turned down DoubleClick to begin his career as a software engineer and database administrator at ALK Associates (Acq Trimble), a logistics solutions spin-out of Princeton University. He should have chosen DoubleClick.
Graham is a Kauffman Fellow (Class of 2010). He received his MBA from Dartmouth’s Amos Tuck School of Business in 2002, where he was a Tuck Scholar, and an engineering degree in Computer Science from Princeton University.
Sector Focus:Â Data + AI
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LinkedInUltimate wingman in early-stage company building
In order of preference and weather: Wind: kitesurfing; Snow: teleboarding; Ice: pond hockey; other: mountain biking
Failing…and water snakes, really hate water snakes, yes actually worst fear is probably water snakes
Pleasure Bay…sounds way better than it actually is, but hey, it’s the closest kitesurfing spot
“Here is a term sheet” 😊
Fencing coach at Princeton and then Dartmouth, I thrive on seeing people I work with win
Still Librarian at a Chinese library in college after failing Chinese freshman year…an abusive form of torture
My Honda Civic, I’m known at the dealership for my unique ‘one price’ leasing strategy. Key is going entry level and dealing with the fact that your car doesn’t have power locks.
Moleskine book, if I don’t write it down I don’t remember it…if I write it down with very small letters, nobody else can read it and see how bad my spelling is, which is why you won’t see me at the whiteboard
Period, which is why I got a treadmill desk…now I eat while walking, vicious circle.
Standing still, the world needs innovation and I want to do whatever I can to create it and enable it.
Always now, I’m not happy unless I’m trying something new and totally over my head
Power eyesight for my Moleskine Books with very small writing
Midas list and bungee jumping
My family, two daughters, and a wonderful wife, although she is an enabler of my VC and extreme sports habits.
Bad hair, three cowlicks, fear of the barber and a tendency to forget to comb it in the morning…exhibit A: bio picture
Cheap sushi and expensive beer…got to love Sakura in Winchester
Advil. Seriously, neck pillow, ear plugs, 2 Advil and I’m out from SF to BOS. Try it & you're welcome.