About Flintlock
Meet the Leadership...
We are an entrepreneur first firm, created by founders who share a deep understanding of what right looks like. Having sat at both ends of the deal table, we have a first-hand understanding of the difference a great VC partner can make. We also understand the incredible challenge of creating, growing, and exiting the entrepreneurial journey.
We bet heavily on investing in the right people, even if the idea itself needs development. The idea will evolve and improve, especially in the care of a great entrepreneur. At our heart, we are an entrepreneur’s investment management company because we know we cannot force an investment’s success. We only succeed when our entrepreneurs succeed.
Joe Shamess is a seasoned investor and entrepreneur whose career spans a high-growth startup exit to private equity and leadership of three companies through every stage of the business lifecycle. As a founder, he’s navigated inception to scale, and as a turnaround CEO, he restored profitability in under six months, driving three consecutive years of 100% profit growth. Over the past eight years, he’s thrived in venture capital, leveraging his expertise as an investor, board advisor, and mentor to shape innovative businesses.
As a member of the Board of Directors of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce — and former Chairman of its 100-member Small Business Council — Joe shapes national policy for entrepreneurs and business leaders. A sought-after voice on business and innovation, he has delivered a White House press conference, testified before the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, and regularly joins congressional roundtables.
His insights on entrepreneurship and economic policy have earned features in The Economist, Fox News, C-SPAN, BBC, and other leading outlets. Joe holds a BS in Law from the United States Air Force Academy and an MBA in Finance from Auburn University. A decorated veteran, he served 11 years as a special operations pilot, flying 168 combat missions across Afghanistan, the Middle East, and East Africa. Among the first pilots to launch operations against Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, his military tenure reflects the discipline and decisiveness he brings to business.
Beyond the boardroom, Joe is an avid outdoorsman, explorer, and amateur historian. He spends weekends hiking and hunting with his family on their farm, always eager to unearth the past or chart new trails.
Seda Goff is a venture capitalist and entrepreneur with decades of experience building and scaling businesses. She’s founded multiple companies, guiding them through various stages of growth, and has led investments across diverse industries. Since 2014, she’s been in venture capital as an investor, board advisor, builder and mentor, with a particular focus on empowering founders to solve big problems.
Seda also served as an Adjunct Professor at American University’s Kogod School of Business, sharing her knowledge with aspiring entrepreneurs. Her insights on venture capital and entrepreneurship have been featured in Military Times, Fox Business, and Yahoo! Finance.
A passionate advocate for expanding access to capital, Seda has worked across various sectors including technology, finance, sports, restaurants and energy. She has dedicated significant time to supporting veteran entrepreneurs, serving as City Leader for Bunker Labs DC and as General Partner for Veteran Entrepreneurship Investment Funds at PenFed Credit Union, where she also built a fundraising accelerator for growth-stage, veteran-owned startups. Seda serves on the Board of Trustees for the ALS Association, contributing to causes beyond her professional sphere.
Fluent in Turkish, Seda is the first person in her extended family born in the United States. She enjoys traveling and watching sports with her husband and two children, always seeking new adventures and cultural experiences.
Jimmy Graham
Venture Partner
Jimmy Graham is a world class athlete and investor whose passion for winning has helped transform businesses across numerous industries. He played college basketball for the Miami Hurricanes and graduated with a double major in marketing and management. Taking graduate classes, he stayed at the University of Miami for a single season of football at the tight end position.
He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft. In 2011, his first year as a starter, Jimmy was selected to appear in his first Pro Bowl and broke Kellen Winslow’s NFL record of receiving yards in a season by a tight end. In 2014 Graham led the entire NFL with 16 receiving touchdowns. In March 2015, he was traded to the Seattle Seahawks where he set the franchise record for the most receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns at the tight end position in only three seasons. Jimmy played the 2018 and 2019 seasons with the Green Bay Packers and the 2020 and 2021 seasons with the Chicago Bears. In 2023, he returned to the Saints for a final season.
Jimmy is the founder and principal of Mach 1 Properties, a private money lender and real estate development company that specializes in lending in South Florida and the Bahamas. In addition, Mach 1 owns and develops single family homes operating as short-term rentals off of 30a in Destin, Florida.
An aviation enthusiast, he has 10+ different flight certifications. This passion led him to create The Jimmy Graham Foundation, which was established in 2018. The foundation provides life changing experiences through the freedom of flight, specifically working with veterans and underprivileged youth. He is also the Co-Chairman of the EAA Young Eagles Program, a charity that introduces youth to the world of aviation.
Fadi E. Hallak
Venture Partner
Middle East
Fadi E. Hallak is an investment banker, investor, and institution builder with more than 25 years of experience spanning the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and emerging markets. Throughout his career, Fadi has operated at the intersection of private capital, sovereign institutions, family offices, and entrepreneurs — originating complex cross-border transactions and building long-term capital partnerships.
Fadi began his career in investment banking and structured finance at Chemical Securities and Chase Manhattan Bank, predecessors to JPMorgan Chase, where he advised on capital markets transactions and cross-border investments involving sovereign and private sector counterparties. He later acquired Taylor-DeJongh, a leading international project finance advisory firm, and co-founded Umbra Capital, a UK FCA-regulated merchant bank. He is also a Co-Founder and Shareholder of BlueFive Capital, a global alternative investment platform, where he cultivated relationships with sovereign institutions and family offices across the GCC, Asia, Europe, and North America.
Alongside his institutional work, Fadi has been active in technology and venture investing for more than two decades, including as an early investor in Limelight Networks, which he helped guide from inception through its IPO. Today, his focus centers on opportunities at the convergence of capital, technology, and strategic partnerships — spanning artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, fintech, and next-generation growth platforms.
Fadi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and Management from American University in Washington, D.C., and an MBA. He is fluent in Arabic, English, and French.