Shelly Kapoor Collins

Shelly Kapoor Collins is a partner at Sway Ventures and a venture capitalist working at the intersection of technology, innovation, and policy, focusing on investing in early-stage technology companies led and founded by female entrepreneurs. After founding and running her own companies, Shelly made the leap from entrepreneur to VC and launched the Shatter Fund in 2017 to have a more significant impact on the emerging market of female entrepreneurs and enable female founders to become 100% participants in the innovation economy.

Shelly’s impressive career spans the private and public sectors. She was appointed to the National Women’s Business Council (NWBC) by the second Obama Administration and served as vice chair of the Women in Public Service Project started by Secretary Hillary Clinton while at the State Department. Shelly also served as a National Co-Chair for Technology for Barack Obama’s 2012 Presidential Campaign and worked alongside now Vice President Kamala D. Harris as a tech advisor and advisor on the Transition Team to then-Attorney General Kamala D. Harris.

In May 2020, Shelly was appointed to Governor Gavin Newsom’s Task Force for Entrepreneurship for the State of California and serves on the Board of the American Leadership Forum for the Silicon Valley chapter. Shelly was named to the Forbes “40 Women to Watch over 40” list and The Economic Times of India recognized Shelly on their list of “20 Influential Indian Women” around the world. She was also honored as one of the Top Innovators by Silicon Valley magazine.

In 2021, Shelly joined San Francisco–based SWAY Ventures as an Investment Partner, where she continues investing in founders through a DE&I lens. She is a staunch advocate for STEM education for women and girls, and in 2021 started the Shatter Foundation to benefit underserved girls by providing them educational tools, grants, and mentorship to think, create and confidently innovate. Shelly holds an MS and BS in Management Information Systems from the University of Maryland.