Seline Karakaya
About Seline Karakaya
Seline Karakaya is a Foundational Advisor and Venture Capital & Private Equity Advisor with extensive experience in finance and investment. She currently serves as an Angel Investor at the Science and Technology Angels Network and holds various advisory roles while founding and managing Excelerate Global since 2014.
Current Roles and Responsibilities
Seline Karakaya serves as a Foundational Advisor at Women Defining AI since 2023. She is also an Advisory Board Member at AGBU's Innovation Studios, a position she has held since 2024. Additionally, she is an Angel Investor at the Science and Technology Angels Network (STAN), where she has been active for 8 months. Karakaya is the Founder and Managing Director of Excelerate Global, a role she has maintained for 10 years, operating across San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York.
Education and Academic Background
Seline Karakaya studied at the University of Southern California, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a focus on Finance and Strategy through the Marshall Honors Program. She furthered her education at the USC Marshall School of Business, gaining insights that have informed her professional endeavors.
Professional Experience
Karakaya has extensive experience in finance and consulting. She worked at Amgen Inc. as a Financial Analyst in R&D Finance from 2000 to 2001. She then joined Bain & Company, where she held various roles from 2001 to 2007, including Associate, Senior Associate Consultant, and Consultant/Case Team Leader. From 2007 to 2014, she served as a Director at American Securities, leading the commercial due diligence process for over 250 deals.
Advocacy and Community Involvement
Seline Karakaya is actively involved in advocacy work, focusing on children's causes in developing countries and animal welfare. Her commitment to these issues reflects her dedication to social responsibility and community engagement.
Achievements in Venture Capital and Private Equity
Throughout her career, Seline Karakaya has contributed to various aspects of venture capital and private equity. She was among the original members of Bain Los Angeles’s Private Equity Group and has worked with companies ranging from start-ups to multi-nationals at Excelerate Global, supporting their growth and fundraising needs.