she/her
Shannon Bean
Principal
About Shannon
Shannon Bean is the Principal at Coastal Enterprises Ventures (CEI Ventures), a strategic venture capital firm and impact investor that manages socially responsible venture capital funds since 1994, investing across various industries and stages.
As CEI Ventures’ Principal, Shannon is dedicated to a comprehensive range of responsibilities that encompass the entire investment lifecycle. Her growth strategy expertise is pivotal in identifying potential deals, conducting thorough due diligence, and sealing transactions. Furthermore, she plays a crucial role in nurturing portfolio companies, providing mentorship, and shaping both strategic direction and fundraising initiatives.
Shannon is affiliated with Primary Venture Partners as an Expert, where she provides strategic advice and guidance to founders and operators within the Primary portfolio and broader network. She has over 5 years of experience in Research & Development on the pharmaceutical clinical and bench research side, across type I diabetes, age-related chronic kidney and cardiovascular disease, lifespan, and oncology diagnostics. After graduating from RIT, Shannon transitioned her technical background to diverse roles in growth strategy. Her expertise encompasses business and corporate development, strategic partnerships, product management, alliance management, consulting, and venture capital. Throughout her career, she has worked with reputable organizations, including but not limited to The Jackson Laboratory, Johnson & Johnson, Excell Partners, and Quest Diagnostics. Her extensive portfolio includes assessing innovative businesses and products across diverse industries, such as healthcare, life sciences, technology, software, AI, ML, data analytics, clean energy, and more.
In her spare time, you can find Shannon doing something active – sailing, skiing (snow & water), cycling, hiking, salsa dancing, soccer and basketball. She also enjoys world travel, food, reading and dogs.
Education
- M.S. in Service, Leadership, and Innovation: Entrepreneurship, Rochester Institute of Technology.
- B.S. in Biotechnology, Rochester Institute of Technology.
- Graduate Certificate in Applied Analytics, The Roux Institute at Northeastern University.
Community Connections
- National Council Member, Rochester Institute of Technology, College of Science
- Mentor in Residence, The Roux Institute Incubators & Founder Residency’s
- Colombia Technology Ventures-Climate Tech EIR Investor Network
- CancerX Accelerator Champion and Mentor
- Founding Member, PACE Council: taking a leadership role in keeping humanity at the heart of AI in patient engagement, recruitment, and retention. As a cross-stakeholder network, we are synthesizing expertise, with lived experience. The 18 Founding Members collectively represent: 1) 300 years of combined experience 2) Leadership roles at pharmaceutical, biotech, clinical research, and NIH-recognized patient advocacy 3) Expertise in patient engagement, trial optimization, tech integration, and advocacy 4) Lived experience as patients, and caregivers across therapeutic areas
- Parrots AI, Business Advisor
Get To Know Shannon
What was your first job?
I was a Summer Camp Basketball Coach.
What is something you dislike, but wish you loved?
Being a native to Maine, I wish I loved Lobstah’s!
What book, film, tv show or album do you return to again and again?
I keep going back to the book, Principles by Ray Dalio. It offers a great set of life and work guidelines that can be revisited and applied anew in different situations, and stages of personal and professional growth.
