David J. Freschman

David J. Freschman, a leading voice of emerging business, is one of the most highly regarded and influential venture capitalists in the nation. With over 20 years of expertise in the venture and early stage businesses, David’s work ranges from his head position at Innovation Capital Advisors, LLC., to single handedly guiding 30+ portfolio companies to financial stability and smart investment funding. Presently, David is the Managing Principal of Innovation Capital Advisors, LLC., (ICA), a management company for two leading Mid Atlantic based venture capital firms, Innovation Ventures LP and The Delaware Innovation Fund. Under his tutelage, ICA has become a leading early-stage venture capital management firm investing in rapidly growing businesses across the country. In addition, David is the founder and chairman of Early Stage East, the largest venture conference for promising young companies on the East Coast, ARC Angel Fund, the leading member managed and fastest growing angel fund based in NYC, and FashInvest, the first global platform bringing together fashion-based start-ups with leading investors and critical advisors. David began his career as a CPA and was responsible in 1990 for the formation of the corporate finance advisory division of one of the largest certified public accounting and consulting firms in Delaware (now part of BDO) where he advised hundreds of emerging companies in the region. He began his career with the Enterprise Group of the Philadelphia office of Arthur Andersen, LLP, from 1984 to 1990. David has served on various boards of directors of companies including Foxfire Printing and Packaging, Business Intelligence International, Skill Survey, Smart Button, Sidecar Technologies, Careerminds, Magnify.net, Weather Trends 360, and Maverick Network Solutions, among others. He is also dedicated to his community, having served on the boards of the Kutz Nursing Home, New Castle County Chamber of Commerce, Junior Achievement of Delaware, Delaware Society of CPA’s, and the American Israel Chamber of Commerce, among others. David is an active speaker and lecturer in the venture capital and emerging business communities at leading universities and conferences such as the White House Conference on Small Business, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Temple University and University of Delaware, along with, the Funding Post, Womensphere, Astia and Bootstrapper Conferences. In 2000, David was appointed to a three year term with the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank as a member of the small business advisory council representing one of 12 counties within the region. In 2002 and 2003, David served as the entrepreneur in residence for Temple University’s Fox School of Business. David is a licensed CPA with a MBA from Loyola University of Maryland and a BA in accounting from the University of Delaware, where he graduated from both Universities with honors. Continuously “paying it forward”, David is an adjunct professor to the Graduate School of Business students at LIM College in New York City, who refer to him as “D.J. Fresch”, a nickname that has stuck with him along his journey. With more than two decades of expertise behind him, David is the quintessential example of what can be achieved with unrelenting hardwork and perseverance. An old school VC with new-age ideas, David’s contributions will set the stage for the next generation of entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and business professionals.