Key Takeaways
- • Michelle Daubar, a private markets veteran with over 20 years of experience, joins Engine Ventures as Partner and Head of Investor Relations & Capital Formation effective September 23, 2026.
- • Daubar transitions from Oak HC/FT, where she spent 11 years leading investor relations and capital formation efforts, helping the firm raise multiple funds and expand its institutional investor base.
- • Engine Ventures, founded nearly a decade ago out of MIT, focuses on "Tough Tech" investments across foundational industries including healthcare, energy, materials, and connectivity, with portfolio companies such as Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Form Energy, and Celestial AI (acquired by Marvell Technology in 2026).
- • In her new role, Daubar will oversee institutional investor relationships and capital formation strategy as Engine Ventures seeks to expand its capital base to support the commercialization of breakthrough technologies from laboratory to market scale.
Summary
Engine Ventures announced the appointment of Michelle Daubar as Partner and Head of Investor Relations & Capital Formation on September 23, 2026. Daubar brings more than two decades of experience in private markets to the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based venture capital firm, where she will assume primary responsibility for managing institutional investor relationships and directing the firm's capital formation strategy.
Daubar's appointment reflects Engine Ventures' strategic focus on scaling its capital base to support the commercialization of deep-technology breakthroughs. Founded approximately ten years ago with roots at MIT, Engine Ventures targets companies developing technological innovations across sectors including healthcare, energy, materials science, and connectivity. The firm operates across multiple investment stages, from early technical validation through commercialization and industrial-scale deployment, supported by operational expertise and networks spanning academia, industry, and government.
Prior to joining Engine Ventures, Daubar held the equivalent role at Oak HC/FT for 11 years, where she led investor relations and capital formation initiatives. During her tenure at Oak, she successfully facilitated multiple fund raises, developed and expanded the firm's institutional investor base, and oversaw marketing, communications, and public relations functions. Her background in institutional capital management positions her to execute Engine Ventures' expansion strategy across its portfolio of deep-tech companies.
Engine Ventures' portfolio includes several high-profile exits and active investments. Commonwealth Fusion Systems represents the firm's focus on clean energy technologies, while Form Energy addresses energy storage challenges. More recently, the firm demonstrated successful value creation through the acquisition of portfolio company Celestial AI by semiconductor leader Marvell Technology in 2026. The addition of Daubar's capital formation expertise aligns with the firm's objective to sustain investor capital flows necessary to mature early-stage foundational technology companies through commercialization phases.
Daubar's appointment reflects Engine Ventures' strategic focus on scaling its capital base to support the commercialization of deep-technology breakthroughs. Founded approximately ten years ago with roots at MIT, Engine Ventures targets companies developing technological innovations across sectors including healthcare, energy, materials science, and connectivity. The firm operates across multiple investment stages, from early technical validation through commercialization and industrial-scale deployment, supported by operational expertise and networks spanning academia, industry, and government.
Prior to joining Engine Ventures, Daubar held the equivalent role at Oak HC/FT for 11 years, where she led investor relations and capital formation initiatives. During her tenure at Oak, she successfully facilitated multiple fund raises, developed and expanded the firm's institutional investor base, and oversaw marketing, communications, and public relations functions. Her background in institutional capital management positions her to execute Engine Ventures' expansion strategy across its portfolio of deep-tech companies.
Engine Ventures' portfolio includes several high-profile exits and active investments. Commonwealth Fusion Systems represents the firm's focus on clean energy technologies, while Form Energy addresses energy storage challenges. More recently, the firm demonstrated successful value creation through the acquisition of portfolio company Celestial AI by semiconductor leader Marvell Technology in 2026. The addition of Daubar's capital formation expertise aligns with the firm's objective to sustain investor capital flows necessary to mature early-stage foundational technology companies through commercialization phases.
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