Sha-Chelle Devlin Manning

Manning currently serves as the Chief of Commercial Strategy for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, a sub agency of the Department of Defense (DOD). DARPA has a +$4.3B annual budget for technology investments driven by leading researchers for national and economic security. Prior to DARPA, Manning was an executive for two leading public U.S. independent energy companies, Pioneer Natural Resources (acquired by Exxon); and Cimarex (now NYSE: CTRA), and led technology, innovation, and LP/venture investments that contributed to the U.S. as a “global energy powerhouse”.

Manning was co-founder of investment firm Malibu IQ, resulting in an IPO for GAN microelectronics (NASDAQ: NVTS); Managing Director of a small “nanotech clean-tech” venture fund backed by Schlumberger and Chesapeake Energy; and a two term Texas Governor Rick Perry’ appointee to Texas’ $483M Emerging Tech Fund.

Manning has served on several boards and non-profits such as Astrotech Corporation (NASDAQ: ASTC), a satellite space processing and International Space Station services company (division acquired by Lockheed Corporation NYSE: LMT); the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary’s Advisory Board for Innovation (SEAB); DOE’s + $240M Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation; the University of Oklahoma System Strategic Research Board; the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) Board and Tech Titans Executive Board for science, art, and STEM education.

Manning started her career as an entrepreneur in several successful nanotechnology and advanced tech startups, including Zyvex and Authentix (acquired by the Carlyle Group). She was the co-founder of Element 3, and an investor/advisor to Worlds, an AI startup, as well as Winstar Communications, which brought DOD wireless broadband technology to the commercial market. Manning was voted as one of the “Top 25 Women in Technology” in Texas.