James Newell
James Newell is currently CFO at WayTrade. He has previously held roles at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, IVP, Voyager Capital, and WELLSAID LABS, INC.
Fundamentals for Startups – 10 Reasons Not to Take VC $$ presented to UW CoMotion Labs on Oct 3, 2025
A presentation titled "Fundamentals for Startups – 10 Reasons Not to Take VC $$," prepared for University of Washington CoMotion Labs on October 3, 2025, outlines arguments against accepting venture capital and acknowledges input from several Seattle-area VCs and others.
University of Washington Students Place Third in 2023 Global Venture Capital Investment Competition
University of Washington’s Foster School of Business offers a 10-week venture capital course finishing with a competition where students act as investors and analyze startup pitches. This year, the UW team placed third globally in the Venture Capital Investment Competition, their best result since 2015.
Seattle Venture Capitalists Urge Founders to Prioritize Practical AI Over Pursuit of AGI
Seattle venture capitalists at a Plug and Play event encouraged tech founders to focus on building practical AI products for specific industries rather than chasing artificial general intelligence (AGI), which they believe is uncertain and not imminent.
Voyager Capital’s James Newell Calls for More Risk-Taking Angel Investors in Seattle Startup Ecosystem
James Newell of Voyager Capital highlights Seattle's need for more angel investors willing to make riskier startup bets and write 'low-conviction' checks, a practice common in Silicon Valley but less so in Seattle's culture. He notes the lack of experienced angel investors and the region's understated approach to investing as barriers to a more vibrant startup ecosystem.
Seattle VCs James Newell and Jason Stoffer Debate UW vs. Michigan as Football and Tech Rivalry Heats Up
Seattle-area venture capitalists James Newell (University of Washington) and Jason Stoffer (University of Michigan) engage in friendly tech investor football rivalry ahead of the College Football Playoff championship. Both praise their universities' engineering programs and entrepreneurial impact while playfully debating their teams' prospects.
Voyager Capital Targets $100M Sixth Fund to Support Early-Stage B2B Startups in the Pacific Northwest
Voyager Capital is aiming to raise $100 million for its sixth fund to invest in early-stage B2B startups in the Pacific Northwest, targeting software, SaaS, AI, and cloud infrastructure sectors. Founded in 1997, the firm has backed over 75 companies and manages more than $520 million in assets.
Silicon Valley Bank Urges Customers to Return Deposits After Collapse, Backed by U.S. Government
Silicon Valley Bank, now backed by the U.S. government, is urging customers to return their deposits after its recent collapse, assuring them of full protections. The newly formed Silicon Valley Bridge Bank is operational, making new loans, honoring credit facilities, and seeing some customers already returning funds.
Coinbase IPO Soars to $85 Billion, Nets Windfalls for Early Backers Including Version One Ventures
Coinbase’s IPO pushed its valuation to $85 billion and delivered major returns to early investors like Version One Ventures, which made a highly profitable bet years ago. The article examines how Seattle and Pacific Northwest investors view crypto and blockchain as the region seeks to grow its fintech presence amid emerging local startups and initiatives.
Kaskada raises $8M Series A to accelerate real-time AI feature-engineering platform ahead of H1 2020 launch
Seattle startup Kaskada raised $8 million in a Series A to accelerate development of its real-time feature-engineering platform, bringing total funding to $9.8 million ahead of a flagship product launch in H1 2020.
Voyager Capital names Meredith Powell its first dedicated Canadian venture partner
Voyager Capital has hired Meredith Powell as its first dedicated Canadian venture partner; Powell brings extensive investing and entrepreneurial experience and serves on multiple boards. The hire comes amid data showing only 14% of Canadian VC partners are women, and Voyager is raising its fifth fund.
Voyager Capital Hires Silicon Valley Veteran James Newell to Lead Pacific Northwest Investment Focus
James Newell, a Seattle native and former Silicon Valley investor, joins Voyager Capital's Seattle office as partner to enhance the firm's focus on Pacific Northwest startups. Voyager Capital aims to leverage Newell's Silicon Valley experience to strengthen ties between Seattle's growing tech scene and Silicon Valley.
Casper’s $70M VC-Fueled Marketing vs. Saatva’s $350K Founder-Funded Growth: Two Paths to ~$200M Mattress Revenues
The article compares mattress startups Casper and Saatva to explore whether venture capital is always beneficial, noting Casper’s $70M in funding and high-profile marketing versus Saatva’s $168M revenue built from $350,000 founder funding and a frugal approach.
Organizations
See all 5-
WayTrade CFO 2025–present · current
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WellSaid Director 2021 · past
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Voyager Capital General Partner 2017–2025, Managing Director 2025 · past
Education
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The Wharton School MBA, Entrepreneurial Management
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Foster School of Business BA, Finance
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University of Washington BA, Economics
