Cohort 45 includes 45 investors in North America, Europe, & LatAm that have formed four deal-sourcing teams: Enterprise, FinTech, Frontier, and Healthcare
Enterprise Team - North America, Europe, & LatAm
- 8+ years of operating experience in high growth, early-to-late-stage start-ups with participation in one IPO
- Global leader of teams of 60+
- Recovering (former) lawyer
- 20+ years experience as a Global MedTech Executive, Surgeon, Healthcare Leader, Innovator, Consultant, Key Opinion Leader and Academician/Medical Educator.
- Expertise in Medical Device, Digital Health, Robotics & Minimally-Invasive Surgical Technologies, Medical and Clinical Affairs, Diligence & Integration, Market Access & Healthcare Economics, Global Market Development & Regulatory Approval, Healthcare Professional & Society Engagement, and the Biodesign Innovation Process.
- Focused on helping HealthTech companies navigate through the complex clinical, economic, and regulatory healthcare environments globally to maximize the safety, performance, and impact of innovative technologies on healthcare delivery.
- MBA at MIT Sloan, MD at University of Maryland, MS Entrepreneurship at University of South Florida, and Residency Training at Emory University.
- Executive Education in Leadership, Regulatory Affairs, Venture Capital, and the Stanford Biodesign Process.
- SaaS-savvy sales manager with extensive experience in scaling revenue within diverse startup environments.
- Proven track record working across multiple startups, driving strategic growth and market expansion.
- Core team member adept at developing and managing top-tier key customer accounts to sustain competitive advantage.
- +30 yrs exp in academic research and building institutions for entrepreneurship training
- Angel investor since 2008
- Co-founder of analytics startups
- Engineer by heart, economist by training
- NASAD IPO & acquisition to Oracle
- Techstars Alumni & Mentor
- Since joining VU established Family Office & LP in several funds
- Serial Entrepreneur with 3 technology startups over past 25+ years. Recent exit with more than $100M valuation.
- Passionate about startups and entrepreneurship.
- Engineering background with Wharton MBA. Believe in execution more than theory. Humble and Hungry always open to learn, Coach And be coached.
- Good at identifying and understanding talent.
- I have a diverse background in engineering, leadership, and entrepreneurship.
- I am a creative who loves a new challenge. I am an Idea guy.
- Let's connect and do great things...Together!
- Almost 30 years of operative and strategic media- and marketing experience
- 20+ years of management experience in leading fast growing companies, business units or agencies
- Passionate about start-ups, disruptive business models, and emerging technologies
- Travel and adventure enthusiast
- Seasoned entrepreneur with 15+ years of experience in digital marketing, business development and scaling startups.
- Deeply immersed in the Silicon Valley startup ecosystem, with active participation in 100+ in-person events in 2024, fostering connections with founders, investors, and industry leaders.
- Passionate about empowering startups to execute effective go-to-market strategies and achieve growth in the U.S. market.
- Originally from Moldova, now based in San Francisco, bringing a global perspective to growth-focused ventures.
- Serial entrepreneur who raised a total of $50m+ from both venture capital and corporate investors.
- Successfully built, scaled, and exited tech companies in b2b SaaS, AI, and e-Commerce
- Built and led Ignite, Intel's global startup program for early-stage deep tech startups in Europe, which has become the leading accelerator for this segment
Fintech Team - North America, Europe, & LatAm
- 18+ years of senior banking leadership experience across 3 regions (Europe, Middle East & Asia) and 3 business lines (Retail, Investment Banking and Private Banking).
- As Co-Founder, successfully exited a Food Tech startup in Switzerland.
- Building an AI driven matchmaking platform to support the global expansion of impact businesses.
- 9+ year of experience in go-to-market team experience in high growth, early-stage start-ups
- Passsionate about the expansion of technology and the entrepreneurial environment in the EU
- Avid skier and traveller
- Global Startup Expertise: Supported and empowered 5+ startups on fundraising and GTM from top Accelerators like Techstars, Alchemist & Google for Startup.
- Strategic Venture Specialist: Evaluated 100+ startups for investment opportunities.
- Dynamic Community Builder: Co-founded Bay Bridge Investment Club while studying in SF, organized an event at Plug and Play in Sunnyvale for AdsGency AI (Techstars '23), connected with the investment community from emerging VCs to Scout from Top Tier funds like Sequoia and Andreessen Horowitz.
- 20+ years experience in music publishing, sync, and the media industry.
- Former COO, German Accelerator New York. Sourced 200+ German tech startups, helping them scale in the U.S. market.
- Started Accenture Music Services within Accenture Song.
- Angel Investor - Looking for outstanding founders and helping them to create meaningful impact.
- With 6+ years in fintech and crypto, I have supported startups by facilitating investor introductions, pilot programs, advisory services, recruitment, and strategic planning. I played a key role in building a global fintech network of 4,000+ members through the FinTech Connector, fostering meaningful collaborations to accelerate growth.
- Bring 5+ years of Wall Street experience, specializing in selling venture capital and private equity investments to high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and institutional investors while managing complex, high-stakes projects.
- Founded and successfully exited a health and wellness startup in Shanghai, scaling it through strategic partnerships with gyms, universities, and health companies.
- Established a nonprofit folklore dance group representing the North Caucasus, attracting over 150 students in the first 6 months and creating a vibrant cultural community.
- 2+ years experience in management and operations
- Multi lingual- English, French, Swahili
- Experienced investor
Frontier Team - North America, Europe, & LatAm
- 15 years in Energy, Resources & Enterprise
- 5 years industrial product startups in Americas and Australia
- Inventor of First of a Kind industrial technologies (0 to 1)
- Innovation ecosystem builder and startup mentor
- Over 30 years of expertise in information technology, driving research and innovation for the public good.
- Venture investor with a talent for identifying and supporting impactful startups across diverse verticals.
- Honored with the 2024 ALLY GRIT Lifetime Achievement Award for a career of dedication and excellence.
- Honored by the Global Institute for Innovation District (GIID) for the leadership, dedication and creativity in advancing the Innovation District model.
- Hobbyist woodworker with a passion for crafting unique and functional designs.
- Avid runner and outdoor adventure enthusiast, embracing challenges and exploring nature.
- Fluent in English and Norwegian, fostering connections across cultures with ease.
- 13 years of collective experience in Valuations, Restructures & Turnaround, M&A, VC, Angel Investing, Finance Executive and start-up Co-founder roles
- Lived, worked, and studied in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the United States
- Built over 200 Financial Models and Conducted Valuations and due diligence of over $10B+ in 100+ public and private across various sectors for Equity Research, M&A, and LBO
- Drove investment decisions of $50M+ early, growth, and late-stage ventures
- Loves FinTech, Consumer and is super curious about the future with Generative AI applications
- Attorney with experience in employment discrimination, securities law, and bankruptcy
- Filed appellate briefs that have appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court and Circuit Courts
- B.S. in Finance from the University of Kansas and M.S. in Finance from Penn State, with a focus on financial analysis and investment strategies
- 10+ years of experience in hardtech and aerospace development.
- Specialized in early-stage technology development.
- Passionate about fostering innovation, knowledge, and collaboration to build a thriving future.
- Seasoned VC Investor in Tech & Deep Tech with a proven track record of identifying and closing deals globally and across industries.
- Bring 16+ years of expertise gained in VC firms (VU VP, Kleiner Perkins), CVCs (Hyundai, Enplas, Siemens, BMW), startups.
- With nearly 3 decades of building and capitalizing transformative market impact ventures across numerous industries, I still get just as excited each time I learn about a great new business.
- Integral to the success of over $250 million in equity and $1 billion in debt for businesses and real estate developments across 3 continents.
- A lifelong student of how markets come together and evolve with the rise of new technologies, social change, economic cycles, regulations, and black swans.
- A passionate champion of big ideas that have the power to change the world for the better and the visionary heroes fighting to bring them to reality.
- BS and MSA in Accounting (minor in Finance)
- 10+ years of experience in Accounting, Finance, and Revenue Management
- Assurance practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers
- Original 50 employees at Virtru (email encryption software startup)
- Senior Revenue Manager, Billing Admin, Auditor POC
- VU Partners Alumni (Cohort 43)
- 10+ years of professional experience in fundraising, investing, IR management, team management, and cross-border cooperation.
- Invested across multi-sectors (enterprise energy, new energy, web3, blockchain, frontier).
- Passionate about supporting innovative startups and VCs
- Outdoor adventurer , yoga enthusiast, and psychology addict.
- As President at JW Strategic Advisors, I provide merger and acquisition and corporate finance advisory services to and invest in communications/networking, software (cybersecurity, AI/ML, Cloud, SaaS, IoT, etc.), information technology (semiconductors, photonics, imaging, services), and advanced materials companies, especially those engaged in providing for our national security.
- I serve as a confidential and strategic advisor to the CEO’s or as a member of their Boards with proven success in developing and implementing strategies and tactics for optimal growth, liquidity, and profitability.
- Experienced investment professional: 15+ years of public equity investment experience in US & Asia
- Provided consulting for early stage startups on financials, pitch-deck and fund raising,
- Passionate about startups in healthcare and emerging technologies.
- Seasoned Investor with extensive experience in Capital Markets, Wealth Management, and Portfolio Management.
- Holder of Multiple Designations: CAIA, CFA, CFP, and CPM.
- Active Venture / Angel Investor, focused on supporting innovative startups and fostering entrepreneurial growth through mentorship and strategic investments.
- Passionate about Fine Dining and Travel and a lover of Trance music and Poker, embracing creativity and strategy both personally and professionally.
- Attorney with 15 years’ experience in commercial transactions including 11+ years in Entertainment Business & Legal Affairs at one of Hollywood’s top grossing major studios and a leading multinational production company
- Experienced in the launching and building of multiple successful startup studios/divisions producing top tier content across Film, Television, Animation, and Videogames / Interactive
- Continually seeking to transform practices and evolve industries in which I work
- Co-founder of a tech startup delivering AI-powered psychological therapy services, dedicated to helping young people gain deeper self-understanding and build healthier, more fulfilling lives.
- Proven investment professional with ~8 years of experience in financial world.
- Strategic thinker with a proven ability to align investment strategies while seamlessly integrating ESG considerations to drive impactful investing.
- Academic excellence with a Master's in Investment Management from HKUST and a first-class honors degree in Information Engineering from CUHK, showcasing a blend of finance and technology expertise.
- Healer, yoga lover, and experienced meditation expert.
Healthcare Team - North America, Europe, & LatAm
- 15+ years experience as founder and growing startups from an idea all the way to an exit
- Passionate about languages and cultures (speak 5 languages and was lucky to live on 3 continents/4 countries). Understanding how others think is the basic of every successful communication!
- My family is my fort and I am thankful and proud to be their fort
- Yale Executive MBA, Class of 2024, Healthcare concentration
- Practicing Emergency Radiologist with 7+ years experience in healthcare
- Passionate about improving physician wellbeing and enhnacing patient care
- Budding Angel investor focused on AI-driven solutions to create sustainable improvements in healthcare operations
- (Co-)Founded and successfully exited 3 profitable companies
- Monetized 6 original AI and hybrid technologies, with successful high-growth go-to-market strategies
- 30 years of experience in the convergence of technology, healthcare, and product innovation:
- experience spans from leading high-growth businesses, overseeing M&As and integrating acquisitions, to enabling a $4 billion IPO.
- 10+ years of international experience in entrepreneurship, business development, and operational leadership across the healthcare and longevity industries.
- Co-Founder & Managing Director of multiple ventures, driving growth and innovation in medical devices and longevity-focused initiatives.
- Proven track record in scaling businesses, building strategic partnerships, and delivering strong financial results in competitive industries.
- Passionate advocate for longevity and health optimization, combining strategic foresight with operational excellence to transform industries.
- funny, curious, open-minded, business lover
- Founder and operator with 15+ years experience building, investing, and structuring in pet care space.
- Lived in Hong Kong for 13 years where I built and sold businesses that I founded to Mars, Inc.
- Semi-decent fly fisherman in my free time.
- Seasoned executive leader with over three decades of extensive experience in mergers & acquisitions (M&A), strategic partnerships, investments, and research and development (R&D) within the innovative ecosystems of life sciences and healthcare.
- Executive roles in major biopharmaceutical entities, investment banking, and within the asset classes of venture capital (VC) and private equity (PE).
- Ph.D. (Biophysics) and MBA (Finance)
- Vascular/Endovascular Surgeon- Professor of Surgery
- Department and Division Chief
- Venture Partner since 2017
- Experienced in MultiDisciplinary Program Development
- Clinical and Basic Science Research
- Founder and Program Director of Surgery Residency
- Executive Coach
- 3+ years of strategy consulting experience, specializing in scaling startups and driving strategic growth in high-impact sectors.
- Aspiring founder and venture capital enthusiast, with a deep passion for identifying and investing in disruptive innovations, particularly in healthcare and emerging technologies.
- Proven ability to assess market opportunities and support early-stage ventures, committed to helping startups achieve scalable success through strategic guidance and capital investment
- Fund Raising, professionalism, networking
- Founded three successful startups.
- Board member and advisor of 10+ early stage businesses
- Setup one of the very first healthcare venture studio
- First-ever Pharma Chief Digital and AI Officer.
- Managed $1 billion Technology budget.
- 3x Company Builder in Bio + Health, Startup Mentor
- BD & dealmaking executive with Internationalization track record
- Fundraising & partnership history of 20+ M USD
- Super strong networks in the Cell & Gene Therapy, LatAm, and VC spaces
- Triple Master Graduate: Earned a Master of Science in Management from Ludwig Maximilian University (Munich), a Diplôme Grand École from SKEMA Business School (Paris), and an MBA from Loyola University (New Orleans).
- Multifaceted understanding of international markets, mergers and acquisitions, financial analysis, and strategic management.
- Passionate about innovation and startups.
- I have always challenged conventional wisdom.
- I'm attracted to solving problems that are seen as unsolvable.
Cohort 46 - Asia-Pacific includes 2 investors that have formed one deal sourcing team: Generalist
Generalist Team - Asia
- Nearly 30 years of experience in international business, operations, and technology
- For 16 years held leadership roles as Managing Director & VP for Asia at Blizzard Entertainment and Managing Director at Activision Blizzard International
- Founded and successfully grew a startup that was acquired. Currently serves on the board of several startups and advises companies in the video game, pharmaceutical, healthcare, and biotech sectors, focusing on plant-based medicines, digital health, and AI-powered healthcare diagnostics
- Holds master’s degrees in Business, International Marketing, and Finance, and is a certified Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma
- NASAD IPO & acquisition to Oracle
- Techstars Alumni & Mentor
- Since joining VU established Family Office & LP in several funds
