Expert DOJO recognizes that startups need help from the venture community to reach the big leagues and compete with the top dogs. That’s why we have a monthly forum where you can ask questions and get guidance from five highly experienced angels and venture capitalists. They’ll help you build the billion-dollar company you’ve been dreaming of.
This session is super important because building a seed stage company, an A stage company, or a unicorn takes a special kind of founder. Our experts will answer the hard questions and give you tips to navigate the road ahead. Don’t miss out on this chance to learn from the pros and take your startup to the next level!
Agenda:
6:00 PM – Mingle
6:30 PM – 7:30 PM – Investor Panel
7:30 PM – 9:00 PM – Networking
MEET OUR GUESTS
Ron D Silverton is a serial entrepreneur with 20+ years of professional experience in the financial services and software industries across 3 continents. He founded or co-founded six companies, with several successful exits (and a few failures). As an active angel investor (TCA-LA Executive Comm and former Due Diligence Chair), he has experience both at the board level and as an advisor/start-up mentor (e.g. USC Viterbi School of Engineering). Skilled in management, corporate finance, capital raising, corporate development, strategy and product management. He holds dual degrees from Stanford JD/MBA and UC Berkeley BS.
Dr. Min-Yi Shih is an angel investor, multi-faceted technologist and experienced business executive. He has served in top executive roles including CTO and COO in the R&D, defense, medical, and communication equipment industries. As a member of TCA-LA, he is an active investor and advisor. He is devoted to helping startups and small businesses accelerate their growth by fundraising, cultivating innovative solutions, and scaling operations. Dr. Shih has a successful track record in obtaining non-dilutive government funding (e.g., SBIR). He is active in various technical professional organizations and is a member of the Phi Tau Phi Scholastic Honor Society. Dr. Shih possesses 17 U.S. patents and numerous awards. He has a background in Physics and has earned his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Pennsylvania State University and an EMBA from UCLA Anderson.
Christopher Yang has over 18 years in technology experience and currently serves as the Vice President of Engineering at Away, a DTC lifestyle brand championing equitable travel access.Previously, he held VP of Engineering roles at Onriva, an AI-driven travel marketplace and Corporate Travel Management (ASX: CTD), an ASX Top 200 global company. His leadership experience includes work at DIRECTV, Ticketmaster, and Onestop Internet (acquired by Nogin, NASDAQ: NOGN). As a TCA Board of Governors and Executive Committee member, Chris actively participates in the leading angel investing network and serves on the board of his portfolio companies. He teaches part-time at UCLA’s Department of Engineering and Technology, initiating the first agile project management certificate for UCLA Extension. As a Forbes Technology Council member, Chris regularly contributes to Forbes.com on technology, business strategy, project management, and entrepreneurship. He holds an MBA, an MS in Industrial and Systems Engineering, and an MS in Computer Science from USC.
Katherine Przygode has over 27 years of experience as an IT executive and tech entrepreneur. During her career she led IT departments for high growth Silicon Valley startups. As an executive with a collaborative leadership style, she built and managed organizations singularly focused on delivering excellence aligned with strategic business outcomes. Upon graduation from the UCLA Anderson School of Management, Katherine founded and was the CEO of one of the first AWS Managed Services Providers and grew the company to over $30M in topline revenue which she exited to a leading Private Equity firm. Thereafter as an independent consultant and Angel Investor, Katherine has helped entrepreneurs create business plans, go-to-market strategies and perform due diligence on various investments.
