MY BACKGROUND

FOUNDER & OPERATOR

I’ve spent more than three decades building, funding, and advising companies, which is long enough to have lived through multiple venture cycles, made just about every mistake you can make, and figured out what actually works.

I’ve sat on every side of the innovation table: founder, investor, advisor, and corporate change-maker. That perspective lets me help leaders win because I’ve lived the challenges they’re facing.

I’ve founded eight startups, four with successful exits, including one IPO. I’ve run companies through pivots, raised capital in both hot and brutal markets, and led teams through the kind of pressure you only understand if you’ve been there yourself.

I know the grind of building from scratch, the anxiety of making payroll, the thrill of a great deal, and the gut-punch when things go sideways. Those experiences shape how I work with founders today, helping them refine strategy, accelerate revenue, raise the right capital, and build organizations that can scale without losing their culture.

INVESTOR & ADVISOR

As a VC, I was a founding General Partner of the 500 Startups Fintech Fund, where in just three years we invested in more than 80 companies across 26 countries. That portfolio now includes multiple unicorns and dozens of teams that went on to raise from top-tier global investors. That experience taught me what “great” looks like in founders and teams from every corner of the world.

I’ve coached or advised more than 10,000 founders in 50+ countries — from first-time entrepreneurs to seasoned CEOs — and worked with LP-backed funds, CVCs, and emerging managers across 30 markets. With investors, my focus is sharpening theses, improving diligence and governance, and building platforms that convert the right LPs and support the right founders.

On the corporate side, I’ve led innovation and startup engagement programs that delivered measurable results. I’ve advised global banks, Fortune 500s, and public agencies, and served as Executive Producer of SWIFT’s Innotribe Challenges, connecting innovators with the global financial services industry.

CURRENT ROLES

Today, I coach and advise founders, fund managers and corporate venture teams.

I also serve as a Venture Partner at MiddleGame Ventures, GPO Fund and Pella Ventures, sit on the Investment Committee of Standard Chartered’s SC Ventures, and serve as a non-executive director of INZMO.

Alongside this work, I advise a small number of fintech and venture organizations and guest lecture on venture capital, fintech and company building.

EDUCATOR & SPEAKER

I share these lessons at major industry events around the world — Money20/20, Singularity Summit, Collision, Corporate Innovation Summit, Web Summit — speaking about strategy, storytelling, and fundraising.

I also lecture at Stanford GSB and UC Berkeley Haas on corporate venture capital, innovation culture, fintech, and Web3.

If you’d like to invite me to speak or lead a workshop, you can learn more about my offerings here.

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

I’ve been based in Silicon Valley for most of my life, but have also lived and worked in Adelaide, Amsterdam, London, Paris, and now Lisbon — doing business in over 40 countries. That global view reinforces a belief I’ve held since my first company: the best ideas can come from anywhere, and the right guidance can turn them into global successes.

PHILOSOPHY & APPROACH

If I work with you, it’s because I believe in what you’re building and believe I can help you win.
If you work with me, you get someone who’s been through the fire more than once, and who knows how to help you get through it faster, with fewer scars, and better results.

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