# Katy Reynolds

> Katy Reynolds is the Co-Founder and CEO of Shibusa Systems, a Monterey, California startup turning home construction into precision on-site assembly. A former Merrill Lynch investment banker turned climate-forward homebuilder, she is rebuilding the way American houses get made - faster, cheaper, all-electric, and out of low-carbon materials.

- **Role:** Co-Founder and CEO at Shibusa Systems
- **Organizations:** Shibusa Systems, The Vivelan Group, Chief, UC Berkeley Political Economy Advisory Board
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** B.A. Political Economy, UC Berkeley, Program graduate, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses
- **Known for:** Co-founded Shibusa Systems, a prefabricated on-site assembly homebuilding system, Raised $5.4M total funding including a $5M Seed in June 2024, Developed patent-pending Precision Component On-site Assembly process

## Career timeline

- **1990s** — Joined Merrill Lynch; approximately 15 years in international investment banking and corporate strategy
- **1999** — Participated in Merrill Lynch's inaugural women's leadership forum
- **2000s** — CFO of publicly traded Lighting Science Group while at Pegasus Capital Advisors
- **2011** — Founded The Vivelan Group, focused on sustainable residential community development
- **2019** — Co-founded Shibusa Systems with Steven Bingler
- **2024** — Closed $5M Seed round (June 2024)

## Achievements

- Co-founded Shibusa Systems, a prefabricated on-site assembly homebuilding system
- Raised $5.4M total funding including a $5M Seed in June 2024
- Developed patent-pending Precision Component On-site Assembly process
- Cut residential build time by more than 50% and waste from 30% to under 5%
- Graduated Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program
- Serves on the Advisory Board of UC Berkeley's Political Economy department

## Latest updates

- **2024-06** — Shibusa Systems closed a $5M Seed round
- **2025-06** — Public LinkedIn activity celebrating Shibusa Cottage debut and product milestones

## Links

- Website: https://shibusasystems.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-reynolds-6191128/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/katy-reynolds
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-06-30