Jarrod currently serves as an Investor with Emerson Collective, investing in early-stage startups across digital health and wellness, education, and the future of work. Prior to joining Emerson Collective, Jarrod was a Venture Fellow at Unshackled Ventures, and the first hire for the Minority Entrepreneurship Institute, a non-profit incubator founded by NFL Athlete, Jaylon Smith. A native of Columbus, Ohio, Jarrod Barnes began his career as a college football coach at the Ohio State University and Clemson University in addition to working in professional sports with the Los Angeles Rams. Jarrod is passionate about all things ed tech and future of work and previously founded Prime U, a learning and development platform for sports teams, and the Athlete Development Lab, a community for sports tech professionals. Jarrod is a proud alum and former student-athlete at the Ohio State University and the University of Louisville and is currently completing his Doctorate in Learning Design at the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign.