David Rothzeid is a Vice President of Investments for Shield Capital, a venture capital firm with over $170 million in assets under management based out of San Francisco, CA. David is responsible for sourcing, diligencing, and supporting cutting edge start-ups across multiple technology verticals operating at the nexus of commercial innovation and national security.
David separated as a Major from the United States Air Force after thirteen years on active duty. With assignments at the Pentagon, Defense Innovation Unit, Air Force Materiel Command, Special Operations Command, and Air Force Space Command, David earned distinction as an innovative acquisition officer pioneering the Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) and promoting other transaction (OT) authority among other underutilized acquisition tools.
David built and led several teams as an acquisition officer for programs such as the Advanced Battle Management family of Systems and the Air Force Satellite Control Network. In 2016 he led the Defense Innovation Unit Acquisition Pathways team leveraging non-traditional methods to attract start-ups to the defense ecosystem. Other assignments included program management roles at the Special Program Division and in 2014 he deployed in support of Special Operations Command as a member of the GHOST program. David still serves as a reservist at the Pentagon for strategic Air Force programs.
David holds an MBA from University Colorado, Colorado Springs, and a BA in Economics from Miami University, Ohio