Justin Strausbaugh was a professional golfer. After a successful college golf career at Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business, where he received his bachelor of science in management with a concentration in finance, he turned professional on graduation and spent several years playing the Professional Golfers’ Association of America tour.
However, Strausbaugh underwent a dramatic shift in his career direction when he decided to turn to finance. He spent seven years as a currency strategist and trader, co-founding consulting firm Trade Forex Futures, before returning to school to earn an MBA at University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business.
He joined US-based exchange operator CME Group’s strategic investment vehicle CME Ventures in 2012, where he had several roles before being appointed to senior director, a position he held for three years.
At CME Ventures, Strausbaugh held board positions at eight companies. He added that he “successfully led investments in the US and Israel and achieving top-quartile returns” – for example, a series B $33m funding for Israel-based data management technology provider Iguazio and a series A $4m round for Fortscale Security.
In June 2018, Strausbaugh became a managing director at Molex Ventures, US-based electronic component manufacturer Molex Electronic Technologies’ corporate venturing unit. His responsibilities include investing in and managing portfolio companies for the unit. He is also venturing into the Israeli startup ecosystem where he has already begun “to generate meaningful dealflow and business development opportunities”.
