Wasabi Ventures Adds a Baltimore/DC Venture Partner to the Team

Oct. 4, 2012 - PRLog -- Kendall D. Ryan
Director of Events and Outreach
Wasabi Ventures
kendall@wasabiventures.com


Baltimore, Maryland – October 4th-2012

Wasabi Ventures adds a new Venture Partner to the team. Ray Thek joins the team as a Venture Partner concentrating on the Baltimore/DC area.

Thek joined the VC firm last spring as a Junior Analyst and was quickly promoted, at the prime age of 19. Ray is an example of the uniqueness of the Wasabi Ventures model: seeking and identifying talent and providing opportunities with experience. Ray is an undergraduate student at Loyola University Maryland’s Sellinger School of Business and Management studying Finance.

Previously as an analyst, Thek curated Due Diligence and analysis efforts. These tasks led to a “broader understanding of entrepreneurship and ability to learn about Venture Capital at a higer level” says Thek. Analyst skills laid the foundation for the broader tasks of “outreach, socializing, and evangelizing in the start-up communities and companies in the Baltimore/ DC area with the ultimate goal of presenting promising companies into the WV process, and then supporting them using the resources of the firm”.

When asked what sparked his interest in the industry Ray replied: “a mix of mentorship from higher-ups at the company coupled with my own efforts to expand my expertise in Venture Capital through various means lead to my zealous reception of this new role”.

In addition to being named Venture Partner, Ray Thek has also been appointed moderator for Wasabi Ventures’ Startup Grind Events. Startup Grind is an international organization bringing together entrepreneurs and experiences. Wasabi Ventures recently partnered with Startup Grind and now serves as the Director of the Baltimore chapter. Startup Grind Baltimore launched on September 18th featuring Brian Razzaque, CEO of SocialToaster. The event was hosted at Loyola University’s Undergraduate Campus in Baltimore as part of the Loyola/WV Business Accelerator efforts and student attendance and participation is strongly encouraged. The next Baltimore Startup Grind Event will take place on October 30th and will feature Vince Talbert, Co-Founder of BillMeLater.

Wasabi Ventures is looking forward to increasing their presence in the Baltimore/DC area especially with the addition of a new Venture Partner. Ray Thek looks forward to “benefiting WV in this new role, but to also foster innovation and accelerate the success of bright and dedicated entrepreneurs while doing so”.

About Wasabi Ventures:
Wasabi Ventures is a different kind of venture capital firm made up of three distinct, but connected aspects: Venture Capital, Startup Incubation, and Consulting. In other words: we fund entrepreneurs, we start companies, and we help existing businesses succeed. We take active operational roles in our portfolio companies by leveraging our dedicated staff of over 40 specialists. Our team of engineering, sales, marketing, analysis, legal, accounting, and management professionals can cover every one of a start-up's needs. We act as senior management to our start-ups and business consultants to those with companies who need our advice. We also provide investment capital and creative financing solutions to our chosen portfolio companies. We also create our own start-ups from scratch, via our incubator environment.