David J. Phillips

Yo, have you heard about David J. Phillips? The dude’s a total boss in the startup world. He’s like one of those guys who’s been around, crushed it in a bunch of spaces, and keeps leveling up. So here’s the scoop.

David jumped into startups early, founding Hackbright Academy back in 2012. That’s the coding bootcamp focused on getting more women into tech, super important, right? He ran it as CEO until 2015, bootstrapped it to like 4 million bucks in tuition and job placements, and really pushed for gender equality in tech. The guy’s all about breaking barriers and making tech more inclusive.

Then, he didn’t stop there. He co-founded Fondo, which is his current gig. It’s a Y Combinator-backed platform that automates taxes, tax credits, and bookkeeping for startups. Think about it, he’s solving a real problem for founders, making their lives easier. Fondo’s already served over 1,000 founders and raised 10 million bucks from top VCs. That’s no small feat. It shows he’s got a real talent for spotting problems and building tools that actually sell.

But wait, there’s more. David’s also an angel investor, over 85 startups, including big names like Rippling, Flexport, Liquid Death, and Mystery Science. He’s plugged into the early-stage scene big time, especially in SF. He’s part of First Round Capital’s Angel Track, so he’s not just investing, he’s mentoring and helping others get started. He’s all in on enterprise, pre-seed, and seed deals, usually throwing in 10K to 100K.

What’s wild is, his whole story screams passion for tech, startups, and having an effect. He’s been in education, fintech, SaaS, literally across the board. His background at Deloitte, Imerys, and other organizations shows he’s got a solid grasp of business and leadership. But what really sets him apart? His drive to build stuff that matters and his knack for investing in what’s next.

Basically, David’s one of those guys who sees a problem, jumps in, and doesn’t stop till it’s fixed. From empowering women in tech to helping startups handle their finances, he’s all about pushing boundaries. No Cap, this guy is a true connector, building, investing, and leading in ways most people only dream about. If you’re into startups or tech, he’s definitely one to watch.