It's the culmination of almost two decades in the tech startup world to continue doing what I love.
Highlight of my career at the time
First a little geek out - this picture is fromMay 9th, 2012 when I launched my 2nd startup Launch It in front of 1000 people at the infamous New York Tech Meetup. If you’re a true NY OG you know how cool this was.
Let’s be honest though as my path into the tech world was probably predestined. After all, my parents named me after a supercomputer, theMultiflow Trace mini-supercomputer. Add to that the fact that I’m a middle child, a lefty, and a Gemini—if that doesn’t scream unconventional, I don’t know what does.
Growing up, I was fortunate to have entrepreneurial parents who built a company together in the tech PR space. Our home was filled with the latest gadgets and devices—from Sony Walkmans and IBM computers to every version of the PalmPilot. I also went to Space Camp (in Huntsville Alabama) one year and 10 consecutive years to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. It was a front-row seat to the world of innovation and possibility.
CES 2013 at my Eureka Park booth with my brother
My parents set the tone early, not just by encouraging my siblings and me to pursue our passions but by challenging us to take risks—like starting a company by the age of 26. In 2005, inspired by their example, I applied exclusively to undergraduate business programs and was accepted early decision into Syracuse University’s Entrepreneurship program. I even lived on a dorm floor reserved for only business students. It was there that my roommate and I launched our first venture,BrandYourself, in 2007 (acquired in 2021). The goal was simple: help our friends land internships and jobs. We built the business step by step, applying what we learned in class during the day to our startup at night.
We were really cool and big deals in Syracuse 2008
After graduating in 2010, I moved to New York City and entered the PR world to better understand my parents’ former life. I launched an agency helping tech startups craft their narratives and secure media coverage. But I quickly realized I wanted to do more than advise—I wanted to build. This led to transforming the agency into a tech platform that scaled PR and content creation, especially for trade shows and social media press releases. Our first client was CES, the largest tech show in the world, which I knew very well and set the stage for years of working with major global events.
In 2016, I began angel investing alongside my father. Together, we’ve made over 65 investments, focusing on companies that transform analog industries into digital platforms—a precursor to today’s Vertical AI. Our portfolio includes:
Pinterest: Transformed physical catalogs into digital inspiration boards.
comiXology: Became the #1 digital comics app and a top revenue generating iOS app, revolutionizing how comics are consumed.
Fi: Reimagined the dog collar with an IoT-enabled edge GPS tracker, providing real-time location and activity monitoring.
Uizard: One of the first AI design platforms, turning sketches or images into functional code with just a picture.
Turing: Digitize and automated CPG wet labs, creating an AI-driven formulation platform to improve products by augmenting humans
Roon: Offers an alternative to "Dr. Google" with curated medical expertise, scaling access to accurate healthcare knowledge with Ai.
Me with Ben the Co-Founder/CEO of Pinterest after Series A 2011
Comic Con 2011 supporting comiXology
Supporting founders from the very beginning through their ups and downs taught me that great investing is about more than capital—it’s about being a true partner.
In early 2022, after the upheaval of the COVID-era ZIRP tech boom and subsequent bust, I transitioned into corporate America, joining American Express on the B2B product side. This role gave me valuable insights into the operational complexities of large-scale organizations and their challenges in fostering innovation. It reinforced my belief in the critical role startups play in solving problems that big enterprises often cannot address effectively.
These experiences—starting and scaling businesses, investing in transformative companies, and learning from global corporations—have culminated in the launch of Six Point Ventures. Together with my partners, Zach Firestone and Brian Cohen, we’ve built a fund that combines nearly two decades of my experience with their distinct, highly successful backgrounds as exited operators and investors as well. Six Point Ventures focuses on early-stage startups in the US and Israel, with a thesis centered on Vertical AI to digitize a still largely analog world. Why Israel? If you have to ask… I’ll write more on that in the coming weeks.
Collectively, we’ve invested in over 100 companies and supported hundreds of founders, witnessing firsthand the transformative power of ambitious entrepreneurs. At Six Point Ventures, founders gain more than capital—they gain a team deeply committed to their success, leveraging our collective expertise and networks to help them thrive.
For me, it’s more than a fund—it’s the culmination of a lifetime of learning, building, and evolving. It’s a platform to back founders who share a drive to create and solve meaningful problems. I’m excited to be part of their journeys and confident that together, we’ll help shape the future.
FIND ME: 𝕏@Trace_Cohen/inLinkedIn
Big Desk Energy
startup insights, stories, and vibes sent to your inbox every Tuesday
mail.bigdeskenergy.com/subscribe?_bhba=a912eba6-7a35-4c1b-a9cb-9721b5c72389
Tired of chasing payments and paying for every e-signature? MeetAgree, the all-in-one platform that combines contracts and payments into a single step. Get paid on time, every time, without the hassle. Choose from sleek templates or upload your own fully editable agreements—no e-signature fees, ever. Whether you’re a founder, entrepreneur, or anyone looking to get ink dry fast, Agree simplifies it all so you can focus on what matters: closing deals and getting paid.
© 2026 Trace Cohen's Vertical Ai Investor Newsletter
1 Unicorn Ranch
Port Washington, New York 11050, United States