Tom Cole

About Tom Cole

Silicon Valley-based startup entrepreneur, venture capital and angel investor, board member, and advisor with a diverse and proven 25+ year track record across the e-commerce, software, Internet, and online media sectors. After beginning my career as a software developer at both startups and F500 companies, I spent a decade as a venture capital investor in early-stage software, technology, and Internet startups, serving as a General Partner in four funds. After that I spent 5+ years as CEO of an e-commerce startup which I led through a strategic M&A process culminating in a successful exit to a private-equity backed national omnichannel retailer with a combined 150 employees and low-mid 8-figure revenues. Subsequently I served as Managing Partner of a new venture platform where we developed a unique, data-driven investing model, and after that was part of a cross-border Asian venture capital firm with strong ties to Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. Prior to my current position, I was co-founder and CFO of a startup providing ecommerce software and online marketing services. Recently I joined as the third partner of a venture capital firm focused on secondary transactions.19••••97: Software developer (Oracle, Wells Fargo, Approach Software, Expert Edge)19••••08: Venture capital investor (General Partner at Trinity Ventures)20••••15: CEO at privately-held e-commerce / omnichannel retailer (Beau-coup)20••••18: Venture capital investor and co-founder of new firm (Managing Partner at Hone Capital)20••••20: Partner at an Asian cross-border venture capital fund (Venture Partner at TransLink Capital)20••••25: Building an e-commerce startup (Co-Founder & CFO at Pantastic)2025-present: Venture capital investor focusing on secondaries (Venture Partner at CatchLight Capital)

Experience

1. Venture Partner

   Catchlight Capital Partners

   Mar 2025 — Present · Palo Alto, CA, US

   CatchLight is a venture investor that uses capital as a tool to help U.S. entrepreneurs and their investors adjust to changing geopolitical realities.

Education

• Yale University

  Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Computer Science

• Stanford University Graduate School of Business

  Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Skills

• Social Media
• Enterprise Software
• Mergers
• Start-Ups
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Entrepreneurship
• Finance
• Awesomeness
• Private Equity
• Marketing
• Venture Capital
• Non-Profits
• Strategic Partnerships
• Saas
• Corporate Development
• Investments
• Software as a Service (Saas)
• Business Development
• Strategy
• E-Commerce
• Board Governance
• Digital Media
• Nonprofits
• Advertising
• Product Management
• Return on Investment
• New Media
• General Awesomeness
• B2b
• Online Marketing
• Angel Investing
• Management