Former VC joins George Mason for entrepreneurship initiative

Sean Mallon, former senior investment director for the CIT GAP Funds, joined George Mason University as associate vice president for entrepreneurship and innovation. From 1999 to 2003, Mallon worked as a principal at Mid-Atlantic Venture Funds.

Press Release

Sean Mallon has joined George Mason University as the associate vice president for entrepreneurship and innovation.

The new position is part of George Mason’s strategic vision of being an economic and innovation engine for the National Capital region, said S. David Wu, Mason provost and executive vice president.

“We look forward to sharing news about innovative partnerships, groundbreaking entrepreneurial endeavors and re-invigorated partnerships,” Wu said.

Mallon will work with the vice president for research, the deans and other university leaders, as well as direct strategic development of the Mason Enterprise Center, the Office of Technology Transfer and the George Mason Research Foundation.

“I’m thrilled to be joining Mason in this important new role,” Mallon said. “Entrepreneurship and innovation are increasingly vital to our economy and our communities. As a world-class research institution, Mason has an important role to play in educating the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders. I look forward to working closely with students and faculty to foster the commercialization of new technologies and products, and to assist with access to capital for the most promising initiatives.”

Mallon has more than 20 years of investment and start-up experience. Previously, he served as senior investment director for the CIT GAP Funds, a seed- and early-stage technology venture fund within the Center for Innovative Technology. He oversaw a portfolio of more than 100 companies and led new investments in Virginia-based technology companies committed to rapid growth and the development of innovative products and services.

He has founded two companies and has worked with several others in senior roles ranging from sales and marketing to product management, supply chain and finance. From 1999 to 2003, he was a principal at Mid-Atlantic Venture Funds, a $200 million early-stage venture capital firm focused on the telecommunications and IT industries.

He holds an AB degree from Princeton University and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

About George Mason University
George Mason is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls nearly 34,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the last half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity and commitment to accessibility.