Marell Evans is a former Division I linebacker at the University of Michigan who applies a scouting-style approach to venture capital, proactively building data-driven talent networks to identify future founders before they start companies rather than waiting for inbound pitches. He emphasizes tactical neutrality in investing and looks for obsession and paranoia as key founder traits, while bringing an uncommon combination of enterprise sales leadership at IBM and Okta, family office portfolio management experience, and co-leading distinctive early investments at SoftBank across robotics, fintech, and blockchain before founding Exceptional Capital. Marell Evans is a former Division I linebacker at the University of Michigan who applies a scouting-style approach to venture capital, proactively building data-driven talent networks to identify future founders before they start companies rather than waiting for inbound pitches. He emphasizes tactical neutrality in investing and looks for obsession and paranoia as key founder traits, while bringing an uncommon combination of enterprise sales leadership at IBM and Okta, family office portfolio management experience, and co-leading distinctive early investments at SoftBank across robotics, fintech, and blockchain before founding Exceptional Capital.