A New Chapter for Schulich Startups: Introducing the Investor Advisory Council
A major milestone has been reached within Schulich’s innovation ecosystem with the launch of the Investor Advisory Council – a modernized and expanded successor to the Pitch Deck Advisory Council first formed in 2013. This renewed Council reflects the rapidly evolving needs of today’s founders and the increasing sophistication of the Schulich Startups community.
“The Schulich Startups community continues to grow and achieve remarkable milestones thanks to the deep commitment and generosity of our Alumni and Ecosystem leaders,” said Chris Carder, Executive Director, Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship.
Spearheaded by the Schulich North Horizon Entrepreneur in Residence Cherry Rose Tan (MBA, MA), the Investor Advisory Council was created to provide founders with direct access to seasoned investors who understand the realities of early-stage venture building. Members of the Council include leaders from venture capital firms, family offices, accelerator funds, and corporate investment teams. Their collective expertise supports founders through story refinement, fundraising preparation, pitch coaching, and strategic advisory conversations — all designed to help ventures move from early traction to meaningful growth.
The Schulich Startups network currently spans more than 250 ventures, with founders collectively raising over $80 million in capital. The introduction of the Investor Advisory Council represents a strengthened commitment to supporting this momentum and expanding the resources available to emerging entrepreneurs.
The 2025 Investor Advisory Council features an accomplished group of investors and ecosystem leaders including:
- Aashna Kumar – Senior Associate, Vistara Growth
- Alexander Barclay (Instructor) – VP, Banking, RBCx
- Feiran Zhou – Director of Commercialization, Ontario Centre of Innovation
- Jaime Wong (MBA’01) – CEO, Maddison Wong Investments
- Jenny L. – Associate, Sixty Degree Capital
- Jillian Malcolm – Senior Investment Associate, MaRS Investment Accelerator Fund
- Jude Sacramenthas – VP of Ecosystems, Graphite Ventures
- Leah Perry (MBA’22) – Senior Associate, Innovation Fund, Wittington Ventures
- Mohan Markandaier – Managing Partner, Good News Ventures
- Moien Giashi, PhD – Principal, GreenSky Ventures
- Mudit Rawat (MBA’09) – Head of M&A, TAO
- Nikhil Nayar (IMBA’21) – Senior Associate, Rogue Insight Capital
- Paul Manias (BBA’98) – Partner & Co-Head, Diagram ClimateTech Fund
- Peyvand Melati (MBA’18) – General Partner, Axion Fund
- Prathna Ramesh – Partner, FutureSight
- Robbie Marks – Senior Associate, Staircase Ventures
- Sarah Willson (Instructor) – Principal, Panache Ventures
- Shelley Li, MBA, CBCA (BBA’13 + MBA’19) – Principal, Maple Bridge Ventures
- Sherry Liu – Analyst, Whitecap Venture Partners
- Snita Balsara, PMP, MBA (MBA’12) – Principal, BDC Sustainability Fund
- Stuart Browne (MBA’09) – CEO, Pycap
- Ujwal Arkalgud (MBA’09) – Managing Partner, Investment Ark
- Umair Anjum (EMBA’24) – Global Director, Private Equity, Dayforce
- Usama Mostafa (EMBA’25) – CEO-in-Residence, Gulmohar Capital Partners
The formation of the Investor Advisory Council marks a meaningful enhancement to the founder experience at Schulich, offering deeper access to capital-focused expertise and reinforcing a culture of mentorship. By supporting founders at pivotal moments in their growth journey, the Council helps strengthen Canada’s broader innovation landscape.
