Fueling the next wave of visionary entrepreneurs.
Originally from Belarus, I immigrated to the United States in 2007 and was quickly captivated by the unique energy of Silicon Valley and San Francisco. My journey encompassed diverse roles across finance, go to market, and marketing, and included academic pursuits at CCSF and UC Berkeley. My path took me from being a financial analyst for Frank Quattrone in tech mergers and acquisitions to go to market roles at MemSQL and Mulesoft.
This eclectic mix of experiences laid the groundwork for my role in co-founding NEAR Protocol in 2018, marking a significant turn in my career. In this capacity, I tackled go to market strategies, launching early ecosystem, and crucial fundraising activities, which deepened my understanding of startup ecosystems and fueled my passion for angel investing, particularly in the web3 space. Leveraging this rich tapestry of experiences, I now focus on supporting innovative founders, bringing to the table knowledge and a keen eye for potential, aimed at nurturing the next wave of tech innovations.
While my passion for web3 remains strong, I am expanding into other startups. This evolution reflects a tech-agnostic approach, recognizing the transformative potential across various technology sectors. My commitment to these emerging fields is driven by the same innovative spirit that drew me to web3, now broadened to encompass a wider spectrum of technologies. I aim to support a diverse range of visionary entrepreneurs, contributing to advancements that redefine our digital and real-world experiences.
Selected Investments
My core investment principles are centered around supporting founders who demonstrate strong leadership and the ability to engage customers, team members, and investors. I prioritize founders with a deep obsession for their product, favoring those who launch rapidly and iterate effectively. Flexibility in adapting or changing strategies when necessary is key, as is a strong, cohesive founding team chemistry.
Beyond capital, I offer startups extensive support and resources. Leveraging my vast network of connections in Silicon Valley and beyond, which I actively expand every week, I provide opportunities for various nodes of my social graph to connect. My experience in fundraising equips me to guide founders through this critical process. Having been on a founding team at NEAR myself, I bring empathy and practical insights to the entrepreneurial journey. My approach emphasizes a strong go-to-market strategy and encourages direct engagement with customers. Additionally, I foster an experimental mindset, helping founders explore and identify effective distribution channels for their products.
