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John Habbert is vice-chair and manager of Funds for Queen City Angels (QCA), where he has been a driving force since the group’s founding more than 23 years ago. What began as a handful of successful entrepreneurs and business leaders committed to giving back to their community has grown under his leadership into one of the nation’s most respected angel investment groups.

During his tenure, Habbert has managed or co-managed six committed capital funds totaling nearly $50 million, fueling investments into more than 120 early-stage companies. Collectively, QCA members have invested over $125 million of their own funds, helping these companies attract more than $1 billion in follow-on capital. With more than 200 members today, the group is widely recognized for its rigorous approach to screening, due diligence, and mentorship, as well as its innovative integration of AI tools throughout its process. QCA members also dedicate more than 20,000 volunteer hours annually to supporting entrepreneurs in building sustainable businesses that create lasting value for their investors and communities.

Habbert played a central role in shaping QCA’s inclusive culture by designing programs that promote diversity among its investors and start-ups. Unlike many investor groups with prohibitively high minimums, QCA helps new investors learn as they earn, lowering barriers to entry for younger and first-generation professionals while broadening participation in Cincinnati’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

His passion for growing businesses took root early in his career, when he left Procter & Gamble to join a bankrupt start-up that he helped transform into a profitable company. Energized by that experience, he went on to repeat the process with an internet start-up during the dot-com boom before joining QCA. Over the past two decades, he has dedicated his career to nurturing entrepreneurs, launching funds, and expanding access to capital for the next generation of business leaders.

Habbert earned his engineering degree from Case Western Reserve University and an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. A devoted Michigan alumnus, he and his wife provide anonymous funding to multiple university programs and actively promote interdisciplinary learning opportunities for students. They are proud annual campers at Camp Michigania and enthusiastic supporters of the block M in Sarasota and Cincinnati.