Sharon Waters has been named managing director of JumpStart New Jersey Angel Network, the organization announced Feb. 12.
Waters is the CEO of consulting firm Waters Strategies, which provides writing editing and marketing services to clients. For seven years, she oversaw marketing and communications for the Feliciano Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at Montclair State University and taught a course titled Entrepreneurial Mindset.
The JumpStartNJ membership includes successful serial entrepreneurs, business executives and venture capitalists who invest in early-stage technology companies in the Mid-Atlantic region. About a third of the investments go to New Jersey startups, according to the group. Last year, members made more than $1.7 million in investments.
“As we continue to expand JumpStartNJ’s membership, Sharon’s marketing and communication skills are a big advantage, and we are delighted to have her expertise,” said Stephen Dyer, who chairs JumpStartNJ’s board, in a statement. “We are grateful for the excellent work of Stephanie Caravela for reorganizing JumpStartNJ over the past two years and setting the table for a new focus on marketing and growing membership.”
Sharon Waters
The group focuses on such sectors as software as a service technology (SaaS), internet of things (IOT), telecommunications, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), healthcare tech, medical devices, alternative energy, shipping and logistics tech, cybersecurity and fin-tech.
“I am thrilled to take this assignment with JumpStartNJ,” Waters said. “After more than a dozen years working with entrepreneurs and startups, I am excited to be more involved with New Jersey’s angel investor community through JumpStartNJ.”
Founded in 2002, the organization’s corporate sponsors included law firm Stevens & Lee and advisory and accounting form EisnerAmper. Waters is also a former journalist who served as editor of NJBIZ and served as New Jersey deputy communications director for the Bloomberg 2020 campaign. At Montclair State, she co-founded the Feliciano Center’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Week event.
