Graduation season is here. But the real legacy isn’t degrees.
It’s leadership.
Every year, I get a front-row seat to that leadership through the Simon School Venture Fund.
This year’s team? They didn’t just show up. They built something better, and left the fund stronger than they found it.
From sourcing and executing multiple new deals and follow-on investments in existing portfolio companies, to passing on the right ones, they didn’t just execute; they embodied the mission.
To the 2024-2025 SVF team at University of Rochester – Simon Business School:
• David Gvelesiani – President – now at Santander
• Kevin Tzaka – VP, Strategic Initiatives – joining ServiceNow
• Snigdha Sabharwal – VP, Deal Execution – off to Amazon
• Akshay Singhania – VP, Learning & Development – Genentech alum
• Nonna Titulauri – VP, Deal Sourcing – UBS alum
• Sidney Leon – VP, Strategic Partnerships – headed to PepsiCo
• Ammar Shoqair– VP, Portfolio Management – Momentive alum
You led with clarity, operated with conviction, and left a lasting mark. Thank you!
To our faculty mentors and board members: thank you for your time, your guidance, and your belief in these future leaders.
And to the graduates stepping out into the next chapter:
—
Don’t chase titles. Build trust.
Don’t be afraid to fail. Be afraid to play it safe.
Be a lifelong learner. Book smarts and Street Smarts together are a nice toolkit to enter the world. Do, Learn, Refine, and Repeat.
The world doesn’t just need more talent. It needs more people who lead with purpose, serve with humility, and rise when it’s hard.
You’ve already proven you can do all three.
Find joy and enjoy your journey!
Meliora — ever better.
Let’s go.
—Dan
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