Anuja Burns, the founder of Illuminate Partners, holds an MBA and Masters of Education from Stanford University and a Masters of Engineering and a Bachelors of Science in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering from M.I.T.

Anuja brings extensive strategic and operational expertise to every engagement, drawing on her consulting experience at BCG and her tenure as a private equity associate at H.I.G. Capital. As an independent consultant, she has advised portfolio companies of Ares Management, Satori Capital, and Ronin Equity Partners. Her typical clients generate $500M to $2B in revenue, with projects spanning commercial diligence, value creation plans, M&A market landscapes, and cost optimization initiatives.

Anuja brings deep operational experience to the table. As COO/CFO, she helped grow a $25M Internet start-up and implemented the structure, systems, and processes to help the company scale efficiently, ultimately resulting in an acquisition by Workday (NASDAQ: WDAY). Driven by her lifelong passion for education, Anuja then founded Galileo Preschool, overseeing daily operations for 7 years, and successfully exited the investment to Bright Horizons (NYSE: BFAM) in 2020.

Anuja is also supported by a top-caliber team, tailored to each client and project. Her team includes seasoned professionals from McKinsey, BCG, and Bain who bring a unique mix of operational know-how and consulting rigor to every engagement.