WE ARE MOREHOUSE > Visionary
Meet Elliott Robinson ’06, a Bay Area based venture capitalist committed to helping others Silicon Valley VC, Elliott Robinson ’06 is a partner at Microsoft Ventures. Elliott has over ten years of international experience investing in and partnering with world class entrepreneurs and the technology companies that they lead. He has seven years of experience focused on Seed and Series A investments followed by three years focused on series B and C opportunities. Elliott is currently investing across the spectrum, having executed deals with check sizes ranging from $2M to $35M. Like his father did at Vanderbilt, Elliott earned a degree in Mathematics from Morehouse. "Like my father, I earned my B.S. in Mathematics while at Morehouse with the original plan of starting my own software company. After a summer internship at Syncom Venture Partners, I realized that I could potentially make a larger impact by investing in and working with technology entrepreneurs like my father, who were disproportionately underserved. The future of work, not just in America, but globally is being defined by emerging technologies that are disrupting every industry you can think of. It’s imperative that Morehouse College play a leading role in representing the new wave of technology founders and CEOs." Elliott had a wonderful Morehouse experience as a student, starting with his time in the Summer Science Program in 2002. And when asked about how instrumental Morehouse Men have been in his career trajectory, he noted, "It’s impossible to measure the true impact that the Morehouse Alumni network has had on my career trajectory. During my first year as a twenty-two year old analyst, I had one of the most formative conversations of my life with Willie Woods. At the time, he was serving as the chairman of the NAIC (National Association of Investment Companies), which is the trade association that represents
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diverse owned investment management firms like ICV Partners." Elliott went on to say, "Our conversation was about how important it was that the Morehouse Men who were in the private equity and venture capital industry support each other and serve as a shining example in order to increase our presence in the industry. Following that conversation, Willie connected me with the rest of the Morehouse College private equity alumni network. They have provided me with endless support and opportunity since that day and I’ve been paying it forward ever since." From the outside, conventional wisdom could dictate that the Morehouse experience doesn't prepare one for the world of venture capital investing, but Elliott disagrees. "Morehouse College prepared me for a career in venture capital because more than any undergraduate institution could have done, I was taught how to think differently. Our alma mater’s DNA is rooted in developing trailblazers and mold breakers, not followers. In an industry where 99% of the venture capital investment partners do not look like me, I’m able to analyze new investments and advise CEOs on how to solve problems faster by providing them with a completely unique perspective that only a Morehouse alum can provide." Elliott says the most rewarding thing about his career centers around what he can do to enhance the Morehouse brand. "The most rewarding thing about my career is the growing number of technology CEOs who can say they’ve had a Morehouse Man serve on their board of directors and help them grow into industry leading companies. I currently serve on the boards of Cerebri Artificial Intelligence, Layer, Trusona, and Livongo Health. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of venture capital backed CEOs have never worked with a African-American investor or had one on their board." He also mentioned, "I often get asked questions about Morehouse College during board meetings from