Paolo Pio

Silicon Valley Software Engineer turned Technology Executive turned Venture Capitalist, Paolo Pio has invested in 60+ early-stage startups. He is the Co-Founder and General Partner of Exceptional Ventures, a London-based early-stage VC backing businesses that help people live longer, healthier, and happier lives—maximizing the Joyspan®. Since launch, EV has invested in 34 visionary companies across the UK, Europe, and the US and is now launching Fund 2. Previously, Paolo was Managing Director for Europe at Joyance Partners, investing in 25 startups across nine countries and building a network of 1,000+ founders and investors. He began his career as a Software Engineer at Cisco in Silicon Valley, later leading the EMEAR & Asia Pacific launch of its xSDN product line. Beyond VC, Paolo is an angel investor, startup advisor, and fitness entrepreneur. He co-founded UrbanTribe, a fitness bootcamp in London and Dubai, and is passionate about meditation, nutrition, and exercise. He holds an Executive MBA from London Business School and a Cum Laude MS in Engineering from Politecnico di Torino.