Celestine Schnugg, founder of Boom Capital, has spent her career at the intersection of technology, investment, and innovation—backing groundbreaking startups and shaping ideas that have global impact. But her most defining work began outside the boardroom. After her son was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition, Celestine transformed fear into a driving force—building networks, funding research, and accelerating solutions with the same urgency she brings to investing

SNP
You’ve said you’ve been “driven by fear” for much of your life. How has fear shaped you as a leader?

Celestine
I have been driven by fear obsessively for a long time. I was actually kidnapped and ransomed in Mexico three times in one weekend. I said goodbye to my parents. And a small group of people got me out. I realized that a small group of people can do great things—can actually alter somebody’s life. So in Silicon Valley, I became a techno-optimist. I felt like I could shape the future.

SNP
How do you turn fear into something positive instead of destructive?

Celestine
Now I’m in a high-stakes situation: my son has pediatric cancer predisposition syndrome. He doesn’t have cancer, but I feel like I’m racing against time to find a cure before he does. Some doctors think he might outgrow it—but the stakes are too high to wait. That fear is incredibly motivating. The risk is letting the obsession consume me. Fear can fuel performance, but it can also take you out.

SNP
You’ve said, “I didn’t find my purpose—my purpose found me.” What do you mean by that?

Celestine
I’ve always been mission-driven. Growing up with a sister with Down syndrome taught me empathy and advocacy. I was raised in Catholic school, where service was ingrained. I thought I’d found purpose at Apple doing CSR, but the work was compliance-heavy and unfulfilling. Venture capital felt different—fast-paced, scalable, creative. Still, nothing compares to now. Curing my son has become my identity. I wasn’t looking to cure cancer until it struck close to home. My purpose found me.

SNP
What’s the universal takeaway here for people who haven’t faced something as extreme?

Celestine
Not everyone will have a lightning strike moment, and I don’t wish it on them. But you can still find something you care about more than anyone else at your company and pursue it with reckless abandon. The hook for my foundation is, “It’s okay for something bad to happen, but it’s not okay to do nothing about it.” That applies anywhere: in your career, your community, your life.

Celestine’s journey shows that fear can be more than something to overcome—it can be a source of clarity, urgency, and courage. Celestine will be a featured speaker at Eighty-Five, SNP’s leadership offsite, where she’ll share more about how she’s turned fear into focus, and how anyone can channel that same energy into meaningful, lasting impact.