Key Takeaways
- • Ann Funai (CWR '97), a computer science graduate of Case Western Reserve University, is a founding limited partner at Operator Collective, a business-to-business venture capital firm that connects founders with experienced enterprise operators, according to CWRU Newsroom.
- • Funai's career spans IT specialist at IBM, senior vice president and chief technology officer at PeopleAdmin, senior vice president of engineering at Under Armour, and a return to IBM to oversee SAP business software implementation.
- • Funai said Operator Collective's group is between 85% and 90% female and 40% non-white, a profile she described as very rare, if non-existent, for a VC firm.
- • Funai transferred to CWRU from SUNY Binghamton after concluding that her computer science peers were pursuing Wall Street careers rather than the technology itself, and played three seasons on the Spartans women's soccer team.
- • Funai returned to campus in September 2026 for the CWRU Entrepreneurship Speaker Series hosted by the Veale Institute for Entrepreneurship.
Summary
Ann Funai (CWR '97) describes her path from Case Western Reserve University computer science student to founding limited partner at Operator Collective, a business-to-business venture capital firm, according to a CWRU Newsroom profile. Funai, who was born in Cleveland, first attended SUNY Binghamton for a year, where she played soccer. She transferred to CWRU after finding that her computer science peers were oriented toward Wall Street careers, which did not match her interest in applying the technology in other ways. She asked the then-women's soccer coach for a spot on the team and played three seasons for the Spartans. She credits the team with teaching her how much companies depend on people working together.
Funai's industry career includes roles as an IT specialist at IBM and senior vice president and chief technology officer at PeopleAdmin, which develops human resources software for schools, universities and public-sector organizations. At Under Armour she served as senior vice president of engineering and helped spin off MyFitnessPal as an independent company during the pandemic. She later returned to IBM to oversee the implementation of SAP business software.
At Operator Collective, Funai works with portfolio startups to draw on the experience of business leaders. She described the firm's composition as unusual in venture capital, stating that it is between 85% and 90% female and 40% non-white. Funai returned to campus in September 2026 for the CWRU Entrepreneurship Speaker Series, hosted by the Veale Institute for Entrepreneurship, where she encouraged students to explore interests without committing to a single career plan.
Funai's industry career includes roles as an IT specialist at IBM and senior vice president and chief technology officer at PeopleAdmin, which develops human resources software for schools, universities and public-sector organizations. At Under Armour she served as senior vice president of engineering and helped spin off MyFitnessPal as an independent company during the pandemic. She later returned to IBM to oversee the implementation of SAP business software.
At Operator Collective, Funai works with portfolio startups to draw on the experience of business leaders. She described the firm's composition as unusual in venture capital, stating that it is between 85% and 90% female and 40% non-white. Funai returned to campus in September 2026 for the CWRU Entrepreneurship Speaker Series, hosted by the Veale Institute for Entrepreneurship, where she encouraged students to explore interests without committing to a single career plan.
Go deeper than the headline
Research every firm in this story, track the ones that matter and get the daily briefing — free for 7 days.