With more than 20 investments behind us, it's safe to say that we have found our Groove.
Our progress could not have been possible without some incredible additions and mainstays to the team. Mickayla, Emmet, Sunwoo, Brianna, and Kiley will be continuing their time with us, representing sourcing through portfolio support.
As we look to expand upon the offering, it's with great enthusiasm that we welcome the following members.
Ramaud Chiaokhiao-Bowman
Associate
Ramaud studied at Northwestern University, where he majored in Learning and Organizational Change, while playing football for the Wildcats (he was a stud). At Northwestern, Ramaud cofounded multiple student-led groups, including the Black Student-Athlete Alliance and The Big Ten Unity Group. He also consulted on projects aimed to provide a better quality of life for underserved communities. When he’s free, he loves watching/playing fútbol, reading books, drawing, and watching anime.
Joe Ripple
Associate
Joe Ripple is a 2nd year MBA candidate at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. Prior to Ross, Joe consulted with Fortune 500 clients, helping them reduce costs and operate more efficiently. At Ross, he is the Managing Director of the International Investment Fund and actively manages his social enterprise—Ripple Effect Ventures. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling, golfing, and avoiding injury as a 3rd line forward for the Ross hockey team.
Rick Mathews
Portfolio & Platform Support Intern
Rick Mathews is an MD/PhD candidate at the Oregon Health and Science University studying medicine and biomedical engineering. He completed his undergraduate degree in New York where he founded a water filtration startup for underserved communities. His professional experience includes project management at Epic Systems and serving as a director on the board of a student housing cooperative. Outside of school, he enjoys hiking, swimming, and cooking with his friends.
Sayuj Suresh
Platform Support Intern
Sayuj is a student at the University of Minnesota, majoring in biochemistry. He is also an Analyst at Atland Ventures where he is passionate about helping early-stage founders. Sayuj is an entrepreneur having launched two startups. During his biochemistry lectures, he loves watching videos about building startups and healthcare systems. In his free time, he likes to cook, eat, and rock climb.
Ben Stevenson
Analyst, Investor Relations
Ben Stevenson is a student at the University of Minnesota, majoring in marketing. Ben is also an analyst at Atland Ventures, where he loves meeting with founders and exploring new high potential companies and industries. As a lifelong learner, he enjoys digging into new topics like cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and social media. In his free time, he likes listening to podcasts, reading books, videography, and playing Spikeball.
I want to thank those of you who continue to provide us with introductions to smart and passionate people. Groove Capital is a launching point for anyone looking to work in venture, and it's doing just that.
