Investing in Connecticut: Exploring Opportunities and Strategies with Leading Investors #CTTechWeek
Join us for an insightful gathering at the "Investing in Connecticut" Panel with moderator Jessica Dodge, where leading investors in CT, will converge to explore the burgeoning opportunities within Connecticut's diverse economic landscape.
This event will provide valuable insights into emerging trends, investment strategies, and regional market dynamics. Whether you're a seasoned investor or just starting out, this panel will equip you with the knowledge and connections needed to navigate Connecticut's investment environment successfully. Don't miss your chance to engage with top-tier professionals and discover the potential for growth and innovation in Connecticut!
Meet the Panelists
Josh Geballe is Senior Associate Provost for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Yale University and Managing Director of Yale Ventures. He is responsible for a wide range of services and programs for students, faculty, and the broader New Haven community to launch new startups based on Yale research, provide training in entrepreneurship and innovation, expand external research partnerships, and foster local innovation and entrepreneurship community growth.
Before launching Yale Ventures in 2022, Josh served as Chief Operating Officer for the State of Connecticut under Governor Ned Lamont. With responsibility for all executive branch agencies covering 30,000 employees, he led successful initiatives to modernize government operations and led the state's nationally recognized response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prior to his three years in public service, Josh spent his career in the technology industry, most recently as CEO of Core Informatics, a venture-backed scientific software company that was acquired by Thermo Fisher Scientific. There, he went on to serve as Vice President and General Manager of Digital Science. Previously, he spent 11 years at IBM in a variety of international executive roles.
Josh serves on the boards of directors of several non-profit organizations, including ClimateHaven where he is the founding board chair, Connecticut Innovations, AdvanceCT, BioCT, and the Mory’s Association.
Josh holds an MBA from the Yale School of Management and a BA from Yale University.
Mendi Blue Paca is President & CEO of Fairfield County’s Community Foundation. She joined the Foundation in 2018 and previously served as the Foundation’s Chief Community Impact Officer and VP of Community Impact. In her previous roles, she led grant-making, programs, policy advocacy, and major community leadership initiatives to close the opportunity gap in Fairfield County. Mendi oversaw the Foundation’s Center for Nonprofit Excellence, Fund for Women & Girls, Immigrant Success Fund, and Thrive by 25 initiatives. She was also the key liaison for cross-sector collaborations with nonprofits, funder partners, external constituent groups, and local elected officials.
Mendi began her career as a registered broker and compliance officer at Goldman Sachs & Co. Mendi was a strategy manager at the Center for Effective Philanthropy, a growth and innovation advisor to the president of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and a summer associate at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, which has been repeatedly rated the country’s top law firm.
She has been a strategic consultant to dozens of the largest U.S.-based philanthropic organizations, including the Bill and Melinda Gates, Ford, William and Flora Hewlett, W.K. Kellogg, Robert Wood Johnson, David and Lucile Packard, and Walton Family foundations. In 2013, after living in Boston, New York City, Washington D.C., and Madrid, Spain, for thirteen years, Mendi returned to her home state, CT, where she held public sector leadership roles and managed political campaigns. In these capacities, she secured millions of dollars in competitive state, federal, foundation, individual, and corporate resources.
Mendi holds a bachelor’s degree in economics cum laude from Harvard College, a Juris Doctorate from Harvard Law School, and a Master’s in Business Administration from Harvard Business School. She is the Board Chair of Partners for Educational Leadership and a board member of the Harvard Business School Community Partners of CT, The Partnership for Strong Communities, The Greater Norwalk Chamber of Commerce, and The Stamford Partnership. She is passionate about entrepreneurship, maternal and reproductive health, and mental health awareness. Mendi lives with her husband, Marcus, daughter, and doodle in Trumbull, where she loves entertaining and trying new recipes in her spare time.
Matt McCooe leads Connecticut Innovations’ venture capital funds, loans and programs to support entrepreneurs and startups. CI has over 225 portfolio companies, 12 direct venture fund investments (fund of funds) and $500M in assets under management. Matt has more than 25 years’ experience in venture capital investing, sales, marketing and product management. Matt represents CI on various tech company boards, several venture funds and serves as Chairman of the CT Biosciences $200MM Investment Fund. Matt’s CI investments with successful exits include Sema4, Budderfly, LogicSource, Tantalus Systems, Greenworks Lending and CoolIT Systems, all 9 figure IPOs or acquisitions.
Matt comes to CI from Chart Venture Partners (CVP), a NYC technology venture capital firm. At CVP, Matt led investments, sat on boards of directors and played an operating role in turnarounds for several highly successful high-growth technology companies. Matt was one of the earliest investors in PacStar, which sold for $400M, and CoolIT Systems, whose revenues have increased more than 100X (nine figures plus) since investment. Prior to CVP, Matt was the managing director of Columbia University Science and Technology Ventures (STV), where he helped launch a portfolio of spinout companies, as well as the deployment of STV’s profitable seed fund. During his tenure, 11 companies went public or were acquired by publicly traded companies.
Prior to Columbia, Matt co-founded Eureka Networks, a communications and application software organization that was sold for $110M. Earlier in his career, he managed product development, sales and marketing, and new product roll-outs for two Fortune 500 companies, Becton Dickinson and MCI. As a national sales leader at MCI, he rose to become marketing manager. Matt launched MCI’s flagship voice and data products for Avantel, the company’s joint venture in Latin America. Both Eureka and Avantel’s revenues reached $100M+.
Matt earned an MBA from Columbia University and a BA from Boston College. Upon graduation, Matt worked for the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, and then co-founded a startup beverage company. Matt serves as a technology and business reviewer for the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Defense, where he identifies and helps emerging technology companies meet the government’s requirements. He also served on the Board of Greenwich Associates, one of Wall Street’s older and more prestigious advisory firms, through to their successful exit to S&P.
This event is a part of #CTTechWeek - a series of events hosted by Non-Profits, The City of Stamford, VCs, and startups to bring together the CT tech ecosystem.
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