AgTech Ecosystem - sharing this update from Danny Bernstein, founder of HawkTower, an investment firm focused on driving innovation and commercialization in key strategic regions of California, including Monterey County. Danny's metrics are driven by both investment returns and economic development wins. See below for some of the more notable recent wins: 1) Bill Sherrod joins as Venture Partner with a focus on advanced air mobility. Vittoria Lecomte joins as Venture Partner with analyst experience on Fitbit and GoPro IPOs. 2) HawkTower has a strategic partnership with Tesserakt Ventures, an early stage VC firm in Central California. Daniel Emilio Sabzehzar and Phoenix Skeahan join HawkTower as Venture Partner and Operating Partner respectively, to help with sourcing, diligence, and portfolio support. 3) Lenny Mendonca is a new advisor (formerly served as Governor Newsom's Chief Economic and Business Advisor and is also a Senior Partner Emeritus at McKinsey & Company). 4) I have also joining Team HawkTower as an advisor, focused on AgTech innovation that can drive California economic development. HawkTower's first investment was in Farm-ng. Farm-NG is exactly what funds like HawkTower are looking for - strong team with a very cool platform product and 100% locally based at their Watsonville HQ location. Farm-NG has growth opportunities across multiple grower segments, solid partnership and distribution opportunities, and will use the capital to continue to evolve their product and go-to market strategies. 5) HawkTower is working with engineering advisors from UC Santa Cruz, Cal Poly, and UC Merced. All of them recognize the opportunity the region represents that HawkTower is working on investing in. These advisors will strengthen the pipeline to keep local talent in the area and make sure the HawkTower investments have access to local talent early and often. Each of these items represents great progress from Danny - together it shows the momentum he and the team are building. If you're a startup looking for an introduction to Danny, please DM me and I am happy to help. If you're an investor looking for a discussion with Danny, same offer. #economicdevelopment #venturecapital #cacentralcoast
HawkTower is a new venture capital firm focused on Underleveraged California. Our mission is to foster innovation and commercialization in critical rising and emerging regions of California, a state that still holds untapped potential as the world's fifth-largest economy. A thriving California, one that continues to grow, compete, and innovate on a global scale, is crucial for America's overall prosperity. Today, our website launched. We are also excited to announce additions to the team and advisory, including: Bill Sherrod, EdD, a 29-year Navy veteran and former Strategic Advisor to the President of the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), has joined HawkTower as a Venture Partner. Bill, who initially joined us as an advisor in February, has quickly become an indispensable part of our team. His extensive experience in dual-use technology, advanced air mobility, and more brings HawkTower a wealth of knowledge and expertise. Vittoria Lecomte is a new Venture Partner. Tori is a former Forbes 30 Under 30 and an investment banker at Barclays in their Technology, Media, and Telecom Group. She was lead analyst on the Fitbit (now part of Google) and GoPro IPOs. Before joining HawkTower, she was the founder and CEO of Sesh which had a successful exit to Caraway. HawkTower is thrilled to announce our strategic partnership with Tesserakt Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm based in Central California. This collaboration, at a time of critical opportunity for emerging California, will drive cohesion in the marketplace. Daniel Emilio Sabzehzar (Venture Partner) and Phoenix Skeahan (Operating Partner) will join HawkTower, enhancing our sourcing, diligence, and portfolio support capabilities. Lenny Mendonca, a Turlock native, is a new advisor. He served as Governor Newsom's Chief Economic and Business Advisor and is also a Senior Partner Emeritus at McKinsey & Company, where he founded the firm's U.S. state and local public sector consulting practice. Walt Duflock, head of innovation for the Western Growers , is also a new advisor. Walt is a partner at a 5th-generation family farming operation in Monterey County. In addition to 30 years of experience at Silicon Valley tech startups, Walt and his team at WGA are extraordinary thought leaders in the AgTech ecosystem. Our technical advisory capacity is significantly strengthened with the support of Alexander Wolf, Dean of the Baskin School of Engineering at University of California, Santa Cruz, Amy Fleischer, Dean, the College of Engineering California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), and Rakesh Goel, Dean, School of Engineering, University of California, Merced. HawkTower is confident in the entrepreneurial acumen and potential of each of these universities (as well as NPS, UC Davis, Fresno St., and others). I'm humbled to share these updates with you as we continue to grow our firm out in the open with your input.
Ecosystem Builder and Storyteller, Startup Advisor and Founder, but mostly a Dad.
5moI would love to learn more!