Aaron Vermut Bio

Aaron is a financial services executive sought out for his expertise in corporate finance, equity and debt markets, hedge funds/venture capital, and complex corporate structures. An experienced founder, investor, advisor, and operator specializing in finance and technology with a track record of growing and scaling businesses in complicated markets. For the past few years, he has been an investor, advisor, and board member to several businesses and funds, including Engine No.1 and Galvaniize Climate Solutions. Prior to this, Aaron was the CEO of Prosper Marketplace, Inc. Before Prosper, Aaron co-founded and was Managing Partner at Merlin Securities (sold to Wells Fargo in 2012). Merlin was a Sequoia Capital-backed early fintech startup providing technology, trading, and operational solutions to hedge funds. After the acquisition by Wells Fargo, Aaron was a Managing Director and the head of Prime Services, overseeing the transfer and integration of Merlin Securities into Wells Fargo Securities post-transaction. Earlier in his career, Aaron was a Principal at New Enterprise Associates, investing in software, wireless, and internet infrastructure businesses, and was a Senior Consultant at Cambridge Technology Partners. He holds a BA in History and German Language in literature from Washington University in St. Louis and an MBA in Finance from Wharton. He lives in San Francisco with his family and four children.