Mentor & Mastermind Host

• Dec 2022 - Present

Mentors and advisors are key to building successful startup ecosystems and are fundamental to our culture at the Newchip Accelerator. As a mentor or advisor, I impact our entire network, help founders solve real world problems, and build real lasting relationships. Mentors and advisors are key to building successful startup ecosystems and are fundamental to our culture at the Newchip Accelerator. As a mentor or advisor, I impact our entire network, help founders solve real world problems, and build real lasting relationships.

Advisor

• Jul 2022 - Present

The Fusion Advisor Network is a diverse community of forward-thinking advisors who are passionate about supporting the build and scale of early-stage startups. Fusion Advisors share their expertise with High Alpha Innovation and portfolio companies, learn from and connect with their peers, and get early access to board, advisory, and investment opportunities at High Alpha Innovation startups. Fusion Advisors come from different backgrounds, functions, geographies, and industries, but come together in multiple ways to share their expertise, entrepreneurial advice & industry-specific knowledge to help others in the High Alpha Innovation community be successful. Show less

MicroMentor, Small Business Digital Ready Program

• Jul 2022 - Present

The Verizon Small Business Digital Ready program is part of Verizon’s commitment to providing 1 million small businesses with resources to help them thrive in the digital economy by 2030. This initiative focuses on women and minority-owned businesses in under-resourced communities in the United States. The program provides resources, networking, and coaching tailored to an entrepreneur’s specific needs, including Personalized Learning, Peer Networking, Incentives, and Expert Coaching. MicroMentor is an online business mentoring platform that allows entrepreneurs and volunteer business mentors to form meaningful mentoring connections. As a key program partner, the MicroMentor platform is made available to Verizon Small Business Digital Ready entrepreneurs so they can continue their learning journey through individualized relationships with mentors like you! All entrepreneurs on the platform are small business owners. Through MicroMentor you can form a mentor-mentee relationship with them to help answer business questions and grow their business. As a MicroMentor, my main job is to: 1. Diagnose the Need: Work together to develop a “need statement” summarizing the specific challenge that the mentee is trying to address. 2. Possible Solutions: Create a list of relevant projects that might address the current challenge. 3. Select an Approach: Of the potential solutions, which is the most impactful one to pursue. Selecting an approach should help define what the final result of the project will be. 4. Develop Scope: Now that the mentee has chosen a strategy for moving forward, I can help them decide on which steps to take to complete the project successfully. Show less

Consultant

• Jul 2022 - Present

proSapient’s mission is to support people in the discovery of knowledge so that they make great decisions and succeed in their goals. We combine industry knowledge with advanced search AI to source the best people for your projects as fast as possible, plus a dedicated service to run quantitative industry surveys to help you generate high-quality responses and insights. Those are provided by the smartest people around the world and make great decisions. Whether you need to speak to five experts or five hundred, our platform helps you scale your projects without the stress. Show less

Consultant

• May 2021 - Present

DeepBench was started by former graduate students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) who had experienced first-hand the inefficiencies of legacy expert networks, and saw an opportunity to create something better. As a consultant for DeepBench, I provide insights on a contract basis to global clients in various industries looking for SMEs to help them successfully execute and manage enterprise-wide operations and support the organization’s businesses and objectives. DeepBench was started by former graduate students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) who had experienced first-hand the inefficiencies of legacy expert networks, and saw an opportunity to create something better. As a consultant for DeepBench, I provide insights on a contract basis to global clients in various industries looking for SMEs to help them successfully execute and manage enterprise-wide operations and support the organization’s businesses and objectives.

Consultant

• 2014 - Present

Founded in 2000, HighQuest Partners is a globally recognized strategy consulting, events, and media company serving agriculture, agribusiness, grains, oilseed, food, and biofuels markets and has worked with hundreds of public and private sector organizations in over 100 countries. Performed due diligence and risk assessment in M&A deals mostly focused on the Biologicals and Ag market sectors. Deals ranging between $30 to $ 140 million dollars where combined projected company growth and future pipelines are assessed from a technical, regulatory, market and competitive pricing perspectives. Advised investors on risk stacking and 5 year forecasting projections as part of financial analysis of potential deals. Show less

Consultant

• May 2021 - Dec 2022

Susterris leverages a veteran core management team that delivers top-notch support across multiple early early-phase R&D projects. The accelerator utilizes rigorous analytics & its broad, knowledgeable network to de-risk & quickly advance product concepts. • Assist progression of biotech-focused R&D milestones, management, strategy, and opportunity. Accelerate process of pushing promising early-stage life science deal flow successfully into market. Manage daily project goals and schedules making sure diligence is clearly defined, assessed, and prioritized within technologies focused on biotech and biopharma. Drive vision for the product and own the end-to-end product strategy from concept to production applying logical structuring to complex problems. Work in agile environment to review business needs, refine priorities, outline milestones & deliverables, and identify opportunities & risks by thinking orthogonally for specific deals in the pipeline. Show less

Mentor

• Oct 2018 - Dec 2022

FasterCapital is a virtual incubator based in Dubai Internet City. We help IT startups through our programs, acceleration and incubation. FasterCapital was established in 2010 and our model was publicly available since 2016. It currently has 20 incubated startups that graduated and are fully functional now, more than 243 startups in the acceleration program and more than 228 regional partners with 139 offices worldwide. FasterCapital has multiple rounds of funding per year during which selected startups can be accelerated or incubated by the fund. Show less

Principal Advisor

• Sep 2018 - Sep 2020

Principal Advisor and Expert Resource for a non-profit organization whose mission is to "transform technology ideas into solutions that elevate economic opportunities and make lives better for people around the world." I provide recommendations for strategic business planning, business and product development in areas of conceptualization, IP strategy, product launch, acquisition integration and global business growth for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II and IIB companies focused in the areas of agriculture, including plant and animal science; energy; life sciences; human health; and healthcare, including medical devices. Show less

Venture Partner

• 2016 - 2017

iSelect allows accredited investors to assemble a diversified portfolio of the Midwest's most promising emerging growth companies through their own financial advisors. The focus is on agriculture, food and beverage, healthcare, and energy verticals to fill the pipeline for investment According to a recent study by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, investors that spend more time doing due diligence typically have better results than those who choose not to extensively vet their investment opportunities. This seems like an apparent and obvious rule of thumb for early-stage investors, but in practice it is very hard, if not impossible, for individual investors to implement a comprehensive diligence process. Investors in iSelect Fund leverage the combined diligence efforts of our internal team, a 3rd party FINRA broker dealer, and our Selection Committee composed of “been-there, done-that” entrepreneurs and venture capital investors. When added together, iSelect Fund spends between 80-120 man-hours per deal on diligence. Our investors can be assured that each management team within our portfolio has a legitimate chance of successfully executing their business plan. Show less

Founder, COO

• Sep 2012 - 2017

iNOVOTEC Animal Care was incorporated in September, 2012 to bring products to the agricultural enterprise to enhance efficiency and increase production of healthier foods and related products. We develop and sell tools to help professionals monitor the conditions of their animals to indicate whenever there is deterioration in the health status of the herd due to feed quality, disease, environmental impact, amongst others. Implemented company’s brand and effectively manage customer service, marketing and communication activities including sales force development and operations in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and USA. Secured all governmental and regulatory approvals through effective management of relevant compliance processes while facilitating key relationship with smaXtec (Austrian technology developer). Prepared business case and pitches to investors/strategic partners enabling company’s growth. Managed company’s financials including accounting, forecasting, CAPEX, OPEX, balance sheet and P&L including management of initial investment of $300,000. Handled logistical and operational aspects of the company in the Americas including IP, IT and product database related activities for customers (dairy, beef and crop farmers). Show less

Head Of Operations

• 2012 - 2016

Founded in November 2010 and located in Carbondale, Illinois, Thermaquatica develops and deploys innovative technologies for production of chemical feedstocks and liquid fuels from non-petroleum based raw materials. Secured funding opportunities to maximize company growth and stability while minimizing dilutive cash inflow. Directed negotiations and relationships with licensing companies focusing on option and licensing to raise funds for R&D and technology commercialization, marketing and sales. Tracked company financials including management of US$1 million government grant for technology scale-up, $2M research agreement with foreign strategic partner and $50,000 testing agreement with food processor. Managed pilot demonstration unit of licensed technology to convert biomass, coal and tar sands into liquid fuels and green chemicals as project manager. Implemented processes to improve personnel and business management including payroll, benefits, regulatory compliance, taxes, and operations. Show less

Business and Technical Lead

• Oct 2013 - Dec 2015

Nanoguard solutions prevents waste and protects health by eradicating harmful pathogens anywhere they pose a threat. The technology is a high voltage atmospheric cold plasma that reduces post-harvest food loss and increases food safety by pasteurizing the surface of food and feed to reduce microbial activity by greater than 99% and cut toxin levels in half. Nanoguard solutions prevents waste and protects health by eradicating harmful pathogens anywhere they pose a threat. The technology is a high voltage atmospheric cold plasma that reduces post-harvest food loss and increases food safety by pasteurizing the surface of food and feed to reduce microbial activity by greater than 99% and cut toxin levels in half.

Entrepreneur in Residence

• 2011 - 2014

Unique collaboration between experienced entrepreneurs and strategic corporations to identify and commercialize innovative technologies broadly impacting BioAg, Food & Beverage and Energy markets. Lad early-stage portfolio startup-company in food safety, quality and product sterilization market sectors – final stages of technology license agreement negotiation and early stages of company formation. Participated in development of innovative and disruptive business projects in agricultural, food and beverage and alternative energy sectors including crop and experiential food production and consumption sustainability. Searched for new business and technology opportunities for limited partners (Bunge Global Innovation, Monsanto and Novozymes) as key member of sourcing and scouting team. Performed technical and financial due diligence on novel technologies available for licensing as opportunities. Assisted investment partners in developing new businesses from concept to scale up, implementing business models in solar and green liquid fuels technologies in preparation for venture capital initiatives. Facilitated acquisition of new strategic corporate partners for newly developed businesses focused on Ag and Food & Beverage sectors. Show less

Technical and Business Development Lead

• 2011 - 2012

AeroValve is a pneumatic valve company with an innovative air-recycling technology. The AeroValve solution reduces wasteful venting to atmosphere because the downstream air is recycled. Directed experimental design/analysis of novel pneumatic solenoid valve using 25% less compressed air Facilitated exclusive license agreement negotiations with Vanderbilt University’s Office of Technology Transfer and technology’s inventor as well as research foundations Participated in fund raising efforts including government grants and private equity investments Provided insight and market research analysis to strategically develop business model and company’s commercialization plan Show less

Sr. Control Systems Engineer

• 2009 - 2012

Managed control system development project for crystal puller including 4 people with direct report. Reduced control system costs on new crystal pullers by 40% with state of the art technology. Implemented new control system based on DCS architecture and Profibus strategy. Applied advanced control algorithms that increased process reliability and repeatability. Facilitated communication across company departments to implement and test new R&D technologies. Managed control system development project for crystal puller including 4 people with direct report. Reduced control system costs on new crystal pullers by 40% with state of the art technology. Implemented new control system based on DCS architecture and Profibus strategy. Applied advanced control algorithms that increased process reliability and repeatability. Facilitated communication across company departments to implement and test new R&D technologies.

Chemical Engineer Consultant

• 2007 - 2008

Process Control Engineer

• 2005 - 2005