Dr. H. Magnus Andersson is an advisor, coach, and mentor to tech startups in the University of Illinois Research Park ecosystem. He currently advises Iridescent Sensors Inc., an NSF-funded startup developing chemical detection technology for first responders, and FrostDefense Envirotech Inc., which creates sustainable frost mitigation solutions for agriculture. He also serves as Co-Founder and CEO of a stealth-mode professional development technology startup in Champaign. Previously, Dr. Andersson was Co-Founder and VP of Business Development at Autonomic Materials, where he led strategic planning, market engagement, and secured over $15M in funding. His earlier career includes research positions at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at UIUC, where he managed multiple collaborative projects on self-healing materials. With over 20 years of experience in advanced materials research, Dr. Andersson has authored more than 50 publications and holds a patent. He earned his MSc in Engineering Physics and PhD in Fluid Mechanics from Luleå University of Technology in Sweden, an MBA from UIUC, and completed studies at CERN in Switzerland and École Polytechnique in Canada.

Experience: Technology Entrepreneurship | Advanced Materials Science | Startup Mentorship | Capital Acquisition | Research Commercialization

Dennis is the Managing Partner of Serra Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm, and of Serra Advisors, providing M&A support and strategic guidance for small and medium-sized companies. Champaign-based Serra Ventures invests in technology companies and specializes in agriculture technologies. Serra has invested in over 100 companies, including many from the Research Park. Its partners also have worked with EnterpriseWorks and the Research Park as EIRs for more than a decade, including CEO Tim Hoerr. Dennis, a CPA, has been involved throughout his career with businesses of all sizes as a Manager for PricewaterhouseCoopers, Controller for SLM Aminco, CFO for Segno Communications, CFO and CEO for the Home Recovery Group of Companies, and Partner with Blakeman and Beard, LLC, CPA’s. Dennis has served as an adjunct faculty member in the Gies College of Business and in Millikin University’s MBA program.

Experience: Finance | Healthcare | AgTech | Raising Capital | Investor Reporting | Exit Transactions | Investment Opportunities | Valuations

Jason Berg advises companies on product strategy and growth, drawing on his experience helping organizations identify opportunities for custom software and web applications. At Pixo, he works with clients to understand their goals and challenges, then brings a thoughtful, collaborative perspective to creative engineering projects.

Jason has held leadership roles in product strategy, business development, and sales across software and technology organizations.

Experience: Product Strategy | Business Development | Custom Software | Web Applications | Client Engagement | Technology Sales

As President of Chatfield Global LLC, Marcy consults with a wide range of clients of every size, from small family-owned manufacturers to Fortune 50 companies across a broad spectrum of industries. Marcy is a pragmatic, business-minded talent strategist, human resources consultant and organizational change leader and has led large global and virtual teams enabling enterprise transformation through global ERP, M&A and outsourcing initiatives and has led cross-functional consulting teams throughout her career. Marcy’s “build and grow” mindset combined with her creative problem solving approach and a passion to leverage talent to a company’s strategic advantage, has made Marcy a valued coach and advisor to her business partners over her 20-year career.

Prior to joining Chatfield Global LLC, Marcy’s career included a variety of roles in Organizational Transformation, Strategic Change, Human Resources, Talent Management, Organizational Effectiveness and User Adoption at SC Johnson, W.W. Grainger, Hospira (now Pfizer) and Anixter. Additionally, Marcy spent seven years at Ernst & Young and PricewaterhouseCoopers as a management consultant and HR generalist. Marcy has led multi-national and cross-functional teams across the globe and established enterprise PMO capabilities for several companies. She has also operated as the Chief of Staff for a CIO, managing the organization’s strategic planning, annual goal setting, metrics team and C-Suite communications. Marcy is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and certified Kaizen facilitator.

Experience: Talent Strategy | Human Resources | Organizational Change | Talent Management | Organizational Effectiveness | Leadership Development

Tim Hoerr is a seasoned business executive with nearly 40 years of experience in a variety of industries. He serves as the CEO and Managing Partner of Serra Ventures, which he founded in 2008. He was co-founder and former CEO of iCyt Mission Technology, Inc., a highly successful bio-instrument company that won numerous awards for technology and business excellence and which was acquired by Sony Corporation in late 2009. Tim was awarded the Entrepreneurial Excellence in Management Award at the Innovation Celebration, 2009. Prior to iCyt, Tim was the President and CFO of SourceGear, an early internet browser company focused on mobile devices. Subsequent to his tenure at SourceGear and iCyt, he served as the CEO of ImmuVen, a drug development company that was acquired by a large pharmaceutical company in 2014.

Experience: Venture Capital | Startup Strategy | Fundraising | Financial Management | Business Valuation | M&A and Exits | Customer Discovery

Jack Marck is an Associate with Serra Ventures. He brings over 15 years of product management and marketing experience across a range of industries including agriculture, biomanufacturing, and consumer products. At Serra Ventures, Jack assists with deal intake, investment operations, and portfolio management.

Prior to Serra Ventures, Jack was the Senior Director of Sustainability at gener8tor, a nationally ranked accelerator, and supported 12 programs graduating 60+ startups per year. He also served as the Managing Director of the Illinois AgTech Accelerator powered by Serra Ventures and the BEAM Circular Accelerator, working closely with the founders of 30+ startups and led the investment into 18 of those companies.

Jack has diverse professional experience that includes digital product management and business intelligence at a publicly traded agriculture company, marketing brand management for a $40M lifestyle consumer product line, and product engineering at Agrible. Agrible was a Serra Ventures portfolio company that exited in 2018.

Experience: AgTech | Startup Acceleration | Product Management | Marketing | Venture Capital | Business Intelligence | Customer Discovery

Matt co-founded Meltzer Hellrung in 2014 with his business partner, Matthew Hellrung. Their vision was to combine exceptional, strategic, and programmatic legal guidance with best-in-class technology to provide a service that makes immigration management easier for companies and more transparent, intuitive, and reassuring for foreign national employees. In addition, Matt continues to strive to build a workplace that treats employees with dignity and invests in their long-term success.

Experience: Employee Hiring | Immigration Policy | Mergers | Global Expansion | Government Inspections | Reorganizations | I-9 Compliance

Paul S. Miller, PhD, has been creating science-based, intelligent systems since 2005. In 2014, he founded Agrible, Inc building the world’s first predictive analytics system that put critical knowledge into the hands of growers to manage their operations.

With Agrible, he and his team launched the largest agriculture sustainability platform enabled by intelligent systems, which has characterized millions of acres of farmland across the US. Agrible was acquired in 2018 by Nutrien Ag Solutions for $63M and was a top 5 global Ag Tech acquisition at the time.

Paul co-founded Flats or Spikes in 2020, where he is building a business using conversational, generative intelligent systems fine-tuned with domain experts to create quality of life for everyone.

Paul has a background in ML/AI and data science including publications and patents. Has led the development of ag tech platforms, mobile apps, data science, ML/AI systems, infrastructure, and ETL pipelines for science-based products. He also has led design and product development teams to build products using agile, user-focused methodologies. Paul also has a personal love of DIY music and playing drums and guitar.

Experience: Agile Methodologies | AgTech Platforms | Product Development | Product Engineering | Startup Ideation | Business Development | Startup Acquisition

As CEO, Melinda creates, communicates, and implements Pixo’s mission and vision and evaluates Pixo’s success at reaching its goals. Her direct duties include strategic planning, management and supervision, recruiting and hiring, project consulting, and assisting with sales. In working with the sales team, Melinda helps understand potential clients’ problems and formulate Pixo’s unique approach for each client.

Before becoming CEO, Melinda was a user experience researcher and designer specializing in information architecture. She also is a former journalist and worked for newspapers and news websites from 1993 to 2005. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in library and information science, both from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Experience: User Experience Research | UX Design | Information Architecture | Product Strategy | Software Consulting | Strategic Planning

Erin Mitchell is the founder and CEO of Grow Giants, a strategic growth consultancy helping founders, CEOs, and leadership teams navigate complexity, make better business decisions, and build strategies for meaningful growth.

With more than 20 years of experience spanning startups, growing businesses, and large enterprises, including CVS Health, Erin brings a whole-business perspective to growth strategy, commercialization, brand positioning, and marketing leadership.

A University of Illinois Gies College of Business alumna, Erin also serves as Lead Industry Consultant for Gies graduate programs and works with entrepreneurs through EnterpriseWorks at the University of Illinois Research Park.

Experience: Growth Strategy | Marketing Strategy | Go-to-Market | Brand Positioning | Market Strategy | Executive Advisory

Ed Moore is the President and Principal Consultant of BioPhia Consulting Inc. and a Visiting Scientist at the University of Illinois Chemistry Department. He brings 30 years of biopharmaceutical, pharmaceutical, and clinical diagnostic industry experience from global companies, Baxter Healthcare Corp and Abbott Laboratories, in R&D product development. During his career, he has held various roles in CMC pre-clinical product development for recombinant therapeutic proteins and for IV parenteral small molecule products in Analytical Method Development, Stability Testing, and Formulation. Additionally, he has lead overall pre-clinical product development for a recombinant therapeutic protein product. He has held positions from bench scientist, R&D Product Development, to Sr. Director, Global Analytical Method Development and Validation. Ed’s responsibilities have included being lead scientist for chemistry and protein biochemistry, being subject matter expert in CMC pre-clinical product development, personnel management, responsibly handling budgets, managing outsourced work at CROs, and managing projects. In 2014, Ed co-founded BioPhia Consulting, Inc., with three others, and today the company has 15 science and technology subject matter experts in various areas of biopharmaceutical, pharmaceutical, and medical device product development. Ed has a Ph.D. in Physical Biochemistry from Cornell University and received a B.S. in Biochemistry from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Experience:    Healthcare | Pharmaceuticals | Clinical Diagnostics | Pre-Clinical Product Development | Personnel Management | Biochemistry | Budget Management | Medical Devices

Daphne Preuss is an entrepreneur focused on bringing genetic and biotechnology innovations to life sciences, food technology, and agriculture. She previously founded, built, and served for 11 years as CEO for Chromatin Inc., developing sorghum seed for growers in over 50 countries. Since exiting in 2019, she has served as an Executive Board member / Operating Partner leading startups through value inflections and has launched BlooMD to explore antimicrobial compounds made by plants. She frequently advises faculty and founders who are launching companies, including providing guidance on raising capital and capitalization strategies, forming a board and choosing investors while maintaining good and appropriate goverance, building a team, planning for an exit, building an IP portfolio that is aligned with a commercial strategy, go-to-market plans, and forming strategic partnerships.  In addition,  Preuss enjoys leveraging her network of investors, entrepreneurs, advisors, and service providers to accelerate the growth of small companies while keeping costs manageable.  Prior to joining Chromatin, Preuss was a Professor and Howard Hughes Investigator at the University of Chicago.

Experience:    Agriculture | Biotechnology | Capitalization Strategy | Commercial Strategy | IP Portfolio Alignment| Strategic Partnerships| Exit Planning | Governance | Team Building

Geeta is a global C-level executive with over 25+ years of 

strategy and finance experience across a wide variety of sectors. Her expansive reach includes public and private companies and early-stage startups, with a concentration in life sciences, financial services, hospitality and tech. Most recently, she was founder/CEO of a clinical stage medtech company, MAG Optics, as well as CEO of a clinical stage biotech, Primevax. She continues to advise executive leadership teams and boards on critical business initiatives that include human and financial capital. In addition, early-stage companies on corporate fundraising strategy, board governance, executive team building, capital allocation and overall financial discipline.

Her global career started in large international multinationals with a heavy focus on corporate strategy development, leading/executing cross-border strategic M&A. At ABN AMRO Investment Bank, her experience included buy/sell side cross-border transactions with stints in London, Hong Kong and Poland. She has completed over $10B in transactions and led significant restructurings to reposition and optimize businesses. She has led multi-disciplinarian teams to solve complex problems in challenging environments. With her in-depth expertise in building executive cross-functional teams, board strategy, investment/fundraising strategy and business development, she is uniquely positioned to drive business and company transformation.

She graduated from University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana with a BS degree in Finance.

Experience: Finance | Early-Stage Startups | Capitalization Strategy | Fundraising Strategy | Strategic Business Development| Strategic Partnerships| MedTech | BioTech

Alan Singleton provides legal services to business clients in the areas of corporate formation and transactions,  securities law, and real estate. Alan earned a B.S. in Geology from the University of Illinois in 1988 and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Illinois College of Law in 1991. Following law school and prior to founding Singleton Law Firm, he practiced with the Urbana law firm Webber & Thies as an associate and then shareholder. He has over 17 years of experience working with entrepreneurs to develop solutions to the wide variety of business and legal issues they face in establishing and growing their companies. Through his commitment to serving the needs of clients, beginning with the selection of an appropriate business entity and continuing throughout their stages of development, Alan has established a reputation as one of the leading advocates for technology transfer and early stage companies in East Central Illinois. In recognition of his work, Alan was selected by the University of Illinois and the Champaign County EDC as the 2008 recipient of the Entrepreneurial Advocacy Award.

Experience:    Legal Services | Corporate Formation |  Securities Law | Real Estate | Technology Transfer

Anna Lisa Somera is a serial entrepreneur, a 2x founder, and Chief Strategy Officer and employee #1 at Rhaeos, a venture-backed medical device company developing noninvasive, wearable flow sensing technologies for chronic disease management. With more than 20 years of experience across startups, venture capital, technology transfer, and life science consulting, she has played a key role in founding, financing, and scaling multiple early-stage companies.
Within her professional experience, she has led financing and commercialization strategies, helping companies raise over $70M in non-dilutive and venture funding from NIH, NSF, and private investors. She has guided her current company through major value inflection points, including achieving FDA Breakthrough Device designation, executing multi-site clinical studies with leading health systems, and winning MedTech Innovator, the world’s largest medical device accelerator, ranking #1 out of >1000 companies. Her experience spans regulatory affairs, quality systems, clinical development, and operational leadership across several medical device companies.
She serves as a Principal Investigator on multiple NIH and NSF SBIR/STTR grants and has been recognized for excellence in non-dilutive funding, including receiving a perfect NIH impact score as a PI. Anna Lisa holds graduate degrees in cell biology, business, and public health, and is passionate about helping founders navigate early-stage strategy, fundraising, and the path from innovation to commercialization.

Experience:  Medical Devices | Non-Dilutive Funding | FDA Regulatory Affairs | Wearable Technology | Commercialization | SBIR/STTR Grants

Harlee Sorkin is co-founder and Managing Director of Common Place Holdings, LLC, a health tech venture studio that provides management and seed funding for companies that it helps to form. This builds upon a 15-year consulting practice with an emphasis on business formation, capitalization, product development, and customer development. Prior to that, Harlee helped to lead Traco Labs, Inc., a manufacturer of health and nutrition ingredients, to a successful exit to Degussa, AG. He also serves as a Director of Wealth Management at Busey Bank, Champaign, IL. Harlee is the NSF I-Corps program instructor at the University of Illinois. He holds a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Illinois.

Experience:  Healthcare | Business Formation | Capitalization | Product Development | Customer Development

Jed provides consulting through JLT Tech Services and manages the Technology Entrepreneur Center at the University of Illinois. He was previously Director of Sales and Operations at Pattern Insight, which was located at EnterpriseWorks. He was Pattern Insight’s first employee when it started in 2007. Pattern Insight was started at EnterpriseWorks and recently had its technology and staff acquired by VMware in California. The company received VC funding by Venture Investors, an NSF Phase II SBIR award, and made successful product sales to Cisco, Intel, Juniper Networks, Qualcomm, Telllabs, and NetApp. Jed was instrumental in the companies’ business development. Jed previously worked as a Project Manager at Honeywell Aircraft Landing Systems. He currently sits on the Board of Directors at the HDF Group and Phi Optics, as well as being the VP of Business Development at OceanComm. He has an MS in Computer Science from the University of Illinois, where he was a Siebel Scholar.

Jed Taylor is the Director of Operations of the Technology Entrepreneur Center at the University of Illinois and serves as an Entrepreneur in Residence at EnterpriseWorks, the University’s startup incubator. To learn more about his entrepreneurial excellence, visit the link.

Experience:    SBIR Awards | Project Management| Sales and Operations | Business Development | Computer Science | Commercialization | Fundraising

Helen Zhang provides startups with high-quality financial, accounting, and tax services. With extensive experience in financial accounting management, compliance, and regulatory adherence, her services aim to support clients’ financial health, business growth, operational efficiency, and long-term sustainability

Helen has over 20 years of financial and accounting experience in higher education, Fortune 500 companies, tech startups and accounting firms. She is a financial leader and accounting partner, with CPA and Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Senior Certified HR Professional certifications.

Experience: Accounting | Budgeting & Costing | Tax Planning | Grant Management | Finance | Human Resources