Maria Shen is a General Partner on the investment team at Electric Capital, a venture capital firm with a focus on cryptocurrency and Web3 technologies. An engineer and two-time founder, she is a leading voice in crypto research, known for co-authoring Electric Capital's annual Developer Report. Before her career in venture capital, Shen co-founded a technology startup where she served as Chief Technology Officer and previously worked as an engineer at Microsoft on its search technology. ^{[1] [2] [3]}​

Education

Shen holds two advanced degrees from Ivy League institutions. She earned a Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) in Computer Science from Cornell University, which provided a technical foundation for her later work in software development and technology leadership. Prior to her graduate studies, she attended Harvard University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) in Government. This combination of technical and social science education informs her analysis of the crypto industry's technological and societal impacts. ^{[1] [2]}​

Career

Microsoft

Early in her career, Shen worked at Microsoft, where she was involved with the development of search technology. During her time at the company, she contributed to features that were ultimately shipped on a massive scale, reaching more than one billion devices. This experience provided her with a background in building and deploying software for a global user base. ^{[1] [2]}​

Startup Co-founder

Following her tenure at Microsoft, Shen pursued an entrepreneurial path, co-founding a startup where she took on the role of Chief Technology Officer (CTO). The company's mission was to help small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) establish and manage their supply chains with manufacturers located around the world. As CTO, she was responsible for leading the company's technical strategy and product development. ^{[1] [2]}​

Electric Capital

Shen is currently a General Partner on the investment team at Electric Capital, a venture firm that specializes in Web3 and cryptocurrency investments. In her role, she is involved in identifying and funding early-stage companies in the blockchain sector. Beyond her investment responsibilities, Shen has become a prominent public figure for the firm through her leadership on its major research initiatives. Her work focuses on analyzing developer trends and mapping the evolving crypto ecosystem. ^{[1] [2] [3]}​