David Arcara is a Partner at Laconia. An entrepreneur turned investor, David has raised nearly $100 million dollars of angel and venture funding. David’s career spans over two decades in young, high-growth and turnaround media and marketing businesses. Previously, he founded DJA Media (acquired by Clear Channel) and co-founded UGO Networks (acquired by Hearst Corporation). He entered the investing world by founding Rubber Soul Ventures, where he focused on investments in emerging digital technology companies. David is a graduate of the University of Colorado, Boulder and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.

No stranger to risk, David has been adventure skiing with his kids for 20 years, getting them started right out of the crib. He is also Laconia’s resident sommelier (after hours only, of course).

Jeffrey Silverman is a Partner at Laconia. With over 20 years of experience, Jeffrey has been at the forefront of building and nurturing early-stage tech ventures. At Laconia, he delves into various sectors including enterprise SaaS, fintech, health tech, e-commerce, martech, and more. Jeffrey's focus lies in accelerating growth, strategic execution, and steering capital strategy for portfolio companies. His journey also includes co-founding 3SE Holdings, investing in the world of Web3, and Proteus Collection, immersing himself in the world of art.

Jeffrey's passion lies in mentoring. From Laconia's open office hours to philanthropic work at Project Morry and Friends of the Lake, shaping the next generation of leaders is what keeps him going. Additionally, he takes pride in contributing to Tulane University Innovation Institute and their venture fund. As a proud Tulane alum with a history BA, he sharpened his edges with Columbia's Exec Education Program.

The social butterfly of the team, Jeffrey credits his enviable athleticism to coaching all 3 of his kids and their friends in baseball, basketball, softball, flag football, and soccer, earning him the title of “Funcle”. As the first Gen Z representative in his 50s, he wears his title proudly.

Geri Kirilova is a Partner at Laconia. Prior to joining Laconia, Geri was a Business Associate at Techstars Internet-of-Things program, where she facilitated program operations and worked directly with ten portfolio companies on customer acquisition, growth strategy, fundraising, business development, and messaging and storytelling. As an operator, Geri managed a branch of Kweller Prep, a boutique educational services firm, leading hiring, training, sales, program management, client relations, and curriculum development. She is a graduate of New York University Stern School of Business, and holds a BS in Business with specializations in Information Systems and Management.

A lifelong New Yorker dragged over from Bulgaria, Geri began her venture capital career in Central and Eastern Europe at LAUNCHub in Sofia and Credo Ventures in Prague. By no means a pop culture savant, Geri counterbalances Jeffrey as Laconia’s resident Baby Boomer at heart.

Mirit Lugassi is an Associate at Laconia. Mirit is an operator turned venture capital investor. She has a global track record (US, Europe, Israel and UK) of transforming early-stage startups in various industries, including Edtech, Fintech and Social Impact. During her career, she has acted as Head of Growth & Customer Success at a category-defining, VC-backed Fintech scaleup, DueDil (acquired) successfully designing, implementing and directing strategies that led to best-in-class results, as well as VP of Customer Operations in Edtech high-growth startup. More recently, on a mission to bring her experience and passion to support innovative founders and fund solutions that are solving the world’s biggest problems, she pivoted her career into venture investing, helping build two cutting-edge operations: 51 Unicorns, an investment club aimed at female retail investors, and SeedImpact, an alternative investment firm orchestrating investment opportunities between mission-driven angel investors and underrepresented founders.

Mirit holds a Bachelor of Laws and Economics from Tel Aviv University, a Master of Business Administration, and she is a qualified lawyer in the state of New York.

Mirit has lived in four countries, loves to geek out on behavioral economics, and is the lead dancer in the newly forming Laconia band.