David Needell

David Needell, PhD, is a seasoned professional in the fields of aerospace, next-generation computing, and materials science, currently serving as a Senior Associate at Fine Structure Ventures since March 2023. In this role, David focuses on negotiating transformative deals for innovative companies within these sectors. Previously, David was an Associate at Fidelity Investment's disruptive science fund and is now also a Senior Associate at F-Prime Capital. David's academic background includes a PhD from Caltech, where research under Professor Harry Atwater centered on developing advanced solar photovoltaic devices, alongside postdoctoral work at Columbia University investigating two-dimensional materials for magnon-photon transduction. David's teaching experience spans physics and mathematics at Bowdoin College and participation in research at Vanderbilt University as a National Science Foundation fellow.