Engine Ventures has appointed Michelle Daubar as Partner, Head of Investor Relations and Capital Formation. Daubar will lead the firm's institutional investor relationships and capital formation strategy as it continues building the capital base required to bring breakthrough science from the lab to market. The private markets veteran brings more than twenty years of experience to the Tough Tech venture capital firm based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Building a Capital Foundation for Tough Tech
Engine Ventures was born out of MIT nearly ten years ago and invests globally in companies commercializing technological breakthroughs. The firm backs businesses that are redefining how the world builds, heals, moves, connects, and powers itself. Its portfolio includes Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Form Energy, Bexorg, and Celestial AI, which was acquired by Marvell Technology earlier this year.
A Veteran of Institutional Investor Relations
Daubar joins Engine Ventures from Oak HC/FT, where she led investor relations and capital formation over an eleven year tenure. During that period she helped raise multiple funds, expanded the firm's institutional investor base, and oversaw marketing, communications, and public relations strategy. Her earlier experience includes roles at General Catalyst, Lighthouse Capital Partners, and Standard Life Investments.
Recognition and Industry Engagement
Daubar was named to Kayo's 2025 Top 25 Women in Private Equity Funds list. She is also a member of the Private Equity Women Investor Network, and her industry involvement spans two decades. These recognitions reflect her standing within the institutional investment community and her commitment to building trusted relationships with limited partners.
Leadership Endorsement
Katie Rae, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner of Engine Ventures, said Daubar has spent two decades earning the trust of institutional investors and building partnerships that last across cycles. Rae emphasized that relationships matter from founders all the way to limited partners and noted Daubar shares the firm's ambition for what these partnerships can build. She described Daubar as a perfect fit for the team.
A Shared Vision for Growth
Daubar said she was drawn to Engine Ventures by the combination of an extraordinary team, an extensive academic network, a differentiated investment strategy, and a mission that matters. She described the opportunity ahead in Tough Tech as enormous and expressed excitement about working alongside Rae and the broader team. Her focus will be on deepening partnerships with existing limited partners and introducing a new group of investors to the firm.
Firm Momentum and Market Position
Engine Ventures manages more than one billion dollars in assets and has invested in more than seventy companies. Its portfolio companies have raised more than eleven billion dollars in capital. The firm's operational expertise and academic, commercial, and governmental network support companies at multiple stages of growth from early technical validation through commercialization and industrial scale.
The appointment of Michelle Daubar strengthens the ability of Engine Ventures to build durable institutional relationships at a time of growing interest in Tough Tech. Her experience across capital formation and investor relations aligns with the firm's goal of scaling transformative companies. Engine Ventures is positioned to draw on expanded partnerships as it continues to support breakthroughs in foundational industries.