Nicholas Brathwaite

Examiner
DISC Type : cs

Founder and Managing Partner at Celesta Capital

United States

Overview

Nicholas Brathwaite is a Founder and Managing Partner at Celesta Capital, a deep-tech venture capital firm. With over 25 years of experience as a technologist, executive, and investor, he has held key roles including CTO at Flex and co-founder of Riverwood Capital. He earned his degrees from McMaster University and the University of Waterloo.

Born in the Caribbean, Nicholas is dedicated to philanthropy, particularly in youth education. He and his wife co-founded the PETNA Foundation, which provides scholarships and support to students from the Caribbean. He also serves as a Trustee for The Nature Conservancys Caribbean Division, focusing on environmental conservation and community resilience.

Interesting fact: In late 2025, Nicholas was appointed the 20th Chancellor of his alma mater, McMaster University.

Personality Overview

Status Quo Seeker

Tough To Convince

Overcautious

They are always well-planned and adopt a systematic approach.  They are quite aware of their needs and limitations, so they are unlikely to over-promise. The only way to convince them is by showing them examples and ample proof.

Topics They Care About

Deep Tech Investing
As a managing partner at Celesta Capital, he focuses on investing in foundational technologies and believes there has never been a better time for deep tech opportunities.
Semiconductor Innovation
His career began at Intel, and Celesta's portfolio includes numerous semiconductor companies. He has extensive experience in the industry, from development to investment.
AI & Machine Learning
He notes that generative and predictive AI are still in their infancy and represent a significant dimension of investing opportunity for his firm and the tech industry.

Media Appearances

Nicholas has no verified media appearances

Work History

Founder and Managing Partner at Celesta Capital
5-2016
Member, Board of Trustees / Chairman, Finance Committee at Northwestern Mutual Insurance Company
Member, Board of Directors / Chairman of the Nominating & Governance Committee at Power Integrations
8-2014
Chairman, Board of Directors at Atonarp
1-2017
Member, Board of Trustees at Fuller Theological Seminary

Education

Education details unavailable from McMaster University
Education details unavailable from University of Waterloo

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 11 Location : United States Job Level : Leadership Designation : Founder and Managing Partner at Celesta Capital
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Insights For Selling To Nicholas

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Expect them to be slow and cautious, encourage them to ask more questions
  • First of all, focus on building their confidence by sharing examples, case studies etc.
  • Expect them to be vague in response to your questions, ask firmly and pointedly

DONT's

  • Don't push them too hard to make fast decisions, give them time
  • Don't be very accepting if that is your natural style, stay firm
  • Don't use phrases like 'do not worry', 'i promise' etc.

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Nicholas is

  • Proof of usage by others in the industry, case studies showing ROI are likely to work the best with them.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Nicholas

  • They are unlikely to say no, it's better to stop yourself once you have exhausted all the options.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Nicholas move?

  • They are some of the slowest movers and take their time reaching decisions.
  • Can Nicholas take some risk or not?

  • They have very low acceptance of risk even if they do not say it directly.

You And Nicholas

Personality Compatibility


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