
Venture Grade 2022
Members

Amanda Stuth
Investments
Amanda Stuth is doing a semester abroad at Saint Mary`s University. Amanda studies Business Administration and Economics with a main focus on Finance and Accounting in her last year at the Johann-Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany. During an internship at Deloitte in Audit and at Commerzbank in Debt Capital Markets Bonds, Amanda gained some experience in the working life. She joined Venture Grade to learn about Venture Capital and Start-ups and is now part of the Investment team.

Anica Jestratijevic
VCIC
Anica is an international full-time MBA student at Sobey School of Business whose academic
journey started in Europe continued in the United States and will successfully end in Canada. She
will graduate in January of 2023 with a Master of Business Administration at Saint Mary’s
University, Halifax. She is currently working in Entrepreneurship Centre at Saint Mary’s as a
Project Coordinator and Student Consultant. Anica came to the program with an open mind and
eventually figured that Venture Capital and Entrepreneurship are her major areas of interest. She
entered the venture capital world by taking courses with Dr. Ellen Farrell and since then, she
continuously engages in events to enhance knowledge and skills, embrace experiences, and use an
entrepreneurial mindset to support the start-up ecosystem.

Avantika Gupta
Investments
Avantika is a fourth-year Bachelor of Commerce student at Sobey School of
Business, majoring in Finance and Entrepreneurship. She is a member of the
Investment team at Venture Grade, where she is responsible for creating
investment memos, conducting due diligence, and presenting investment
proposals to the Saint Mary’s Investment Committee. She has also been involved
with Enactus Saint Mary’s as a project manager for three years. Her hobbies
include travelling, sketching, and crafting.

Ayush Deora
Promotions & Outreach
Ayush Deora is a full-time MBA student at Saint Mary’s University and is a member of the
Promotion and Outreach team at Venture Grade.
Ayush has a Bachelor of Commerce degree and is a CFA level 2 candidate. His background is in finance
and he aspires to become an investment banker in the future. He has several years of work experience
in accounting and finance. He enjoys researching about new economic trends and upcoming companies.
Apart from the usual asset classes, he likes following Cryptocurrency trends. Outside work, he loves
playing games, watching movies, and hitting the gym.

Ben Roberts
Donor Relations
Ben is from Bedford, NS and in his final semester of the full-time MBA program at Sobey
School of Business. This past summer, he took part in the Centre for Ocean Venture and
Entrepreneurship Internship Program which sparked his interest in becoming involved with
Venture Grade this year. Ben is leading the Donor Relations team which involves coordinating
communication with potential donors and pitching the fund. Ben obtained his bachelor’s degree
in Kinesiology from Acadia University in 2021 and plans to pursue a career in the sports industry
following completion of his MBA.

Camelia Salem
Investments
Camelia is an electrical and computer engineer working on achieving her P.Eng full time while being enrolled as a part time MBA student at Saint Mary’s. The MBA program has allowed her to gain knowledge in niche areas of management and finance that only years of experience as an engineer would have allowed. She is using the knowledge she is gaining through the MBA to better understand her client’s needs and projects while providing engineering services.

Hiro Tsuchiya
Promotions & Outreach
Hiro Tsuchiya is a full-time MBA student at Saint Mary’s University and is a member of the
Promotion and Outreach team at Venture Grade.
Before starting an MBA journey, he worked as a corporate accountant and SAP implementation
project lead at renowned global fast consumer packaging companies such as Red Bull. While
pursuing an MBA, he has engaged in North American labor economic research at Saint Mary’s
University. He has a strong interest in commercializing sustainable technologies including
biotechnology and is passionate about learning technology commercialization strategies through
involvement in Venture Grade.
Outside of work and school, Hiro enjoys basketball, guitar, cooking, traveling and books.

Ishaan Singh
Donor Relations
Ishaan is an international student originally from Chandigarh, India. He is a third-year
Bachelor of Commerce student majoring in Finance and Entrepreneurship. So far, he has
completed two internships with Sobeys Inc. and Finance & Treasury Board, NS Government.
Ishaan can be seen actively involved in on-campus activities such as being a part of the
SMU IMPACT Fund team and SMU Commerce Society. For his achievements in both
academics and co-curriculars he was awarded the Sophomore of the Year award for the
year 2021. In his free time, Ishaan enjoys playing and watching sports and is always up for a
conversation about his favorite teams.
- Phone:+1 (859) 254-6589
- Email:info@example.com

Katerina Msafari
VCIC
Katerina Msafari is pursuing her Master of Technology,
Entrepreneurship, and Innovation (MTEI) at the Sobey School of
Business. She is an impact-driven professional with over six years of
experience in banking, business development, and product
management. She has supported the growth of businesses in education,
healthcare, and financial services by providing financing and advisory
services. She is particularly interested in developing the venture capital
space and is passionate about supporting startups transforming the
global landscape. She joined Venture Grade to learn about the Canadian
venture capital ecosystem and support the growth of early-stage
businesses. Katerina received her bachelor’s degree in Financial
Economics from Strathmore University in Kenya; she is an advanced
financial modeller and has passed CFA level two.
- Phone:+1 (859) 254-6589
- Email:info@example.com

Keegan Wilson
Investments
Keegan is a part-time MBA student at Saint Mary’s University and is a member of the Investment Team
at Venture Grade.
He currently works at Intact Insurance in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia and has held various underwriting
roles across multiple business lines including specialty insurance, commercial insurance, and
construction bonding. Prior to joining Intact, Keegan worked at KPMG as an auditor. This diverse
experience has demanded constant learning, versatility, and has resulted in the broad development of
his overall knowledge, skills, and networking capabilities.
Outside of work and school, Keegan enjoys hockey, golf, hiking, and playing with his daughter and
Newfoundland dog!

Ngutor Ikpaahindi
VCIC
Ngutor sits in the triad of business development, venture capital, and digital product
development wherein he has 3+ years of experience in conceptualizing, designing, launching,
and managing digital products. He is interested in serving as an operator within company’s, as
well as advising on growth, business development, and product development. He enrolled as an
associate in Venture Grade to grow his expertise in Venture Capital, and expand his knowledge
on the entrepreneurial capital landscape.
- Phone:+1 (859) 254-6589
- Email:info@example.com

Reece Labbe
Investments
My name is Reece Labbe and I am a senior at Saint Mary’s, double majoring in finance and
entrepreneurship. This is my first year as a member of the Venture Grade team and my
responsibilities with the fund include determining investment opportunities by conducting due
diligence, drafting investment memos, and presenting investment memos to the Saint Mary’s
Investment Committee. My hobbies include mountain biking, skiing, traveling, and spending
time with family and friends.
- Phone:+1 (859) 254-6589
- Email:info@example.com

Sawyer Smith
VCIC
Sawyer is an undergraduate business student pursuing a major in marketing and a minor in
entrepreneurship. He is set to graduate with his BCom at the end of December 2022. Sawyer is originally
from Vancouver, BC and moved to Halifax, NS to study at Saint Mary’s. Over the last four years, Sawyer
has developed a strong background in both marketing management and sales. During his final two years
at Saint Mary’s, he has been working at the campus bar and has now ascended to a manager position
within SMUSA (Saint Mary’s University Student Association). Sawyer is excited to discover what the
business world has in store for him after graduation.
- Phone:+1 (604)-626-2334
- Email:sawyer7@live.ca

Sean Buchanan
Donor Relations
Originally from Riverview, NB, Sean has a background and experience in neuroscience,
biochemistry, research and as a clinician in various areas of ophthalmology. One of Sean’s
passions is the improvement of the efficiency and quality of care in the healthcare system,
through technological advancement. While working as a clinician at a high volume, high
efficiency ophthalmology clinic, he co-developed an AI-driven referral and triage software
which works to improve efficiency and enable teaching. He is currently a full-time MBA student
at Saint Mary’s Sobeys School of Business and slated to graduate in January 2023. Sean has
pursued his MBA to blend his interest in health tech and healthcare innovation with a
comprehensive business acumen and build a career in venture capital. He is now an associate
of the Venture Grade fund with a focus on donor relations.

Shashwat Duggal
Donor Relations
Shashwat is a fourth year Bachelor of Commerce student at Saint Mary’s
University, majoring in Finance and Entrepreneurship and is part of the donor
relations team at Venture Grade.
Shashwat has previously competed in the VCIC competition held in Boston, where
he was part of the SMU team that bagged the second place in the competition. He
has previously worked in the banking and retail industry.
Outside of work, Shashwat loves Biking and playing soccer and has a keen interest
in the real estate industry.

Sorav Sogy
VCIC
Sogy is a 3rd Year international student from Punjab, India, Pursuing a degree in finance and
entrepreneurship at Sobeys School of Business. Sogy is a Financial Analyst & Research Assistant
at Sandpiper Ventures under the Co-operative education program for BComm Students at Saint
Mary’s University. He’s the leader of the VCIC team, responsible for hosting the annual Canadian
Venture Capital Investment Competition. He is also part of the social media team responsible for
promoting Venture Grade across various social media platforms.
Sogy is a student representative on SMU’s Academic Senate. He serves as the finance committee
chair on the Board of Directors for the Saint Mary’s university student association (SMUSA). He’s
also a teaching assistant in the finance faculty. Apart from his academics, Sogy is an outgoing
person who loves trying new things & unique experiences.

Ugochi West
VCIC
Ugochi is a skilled development strategist, with over a decade of experience in investment
banking, business development, and innovative entrepreneurship. She is in her final semester
of the Master of Technology Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Saint Mary’s University and is
presently a Business consultant Intern at the Sobey School of Business Graduate Career
Services.
She is an intellectually curious professional who is self-motivated and persistently innovating
ideas to create prime and viable solutions for businesses to succeed and stay ahead. Her
passion for startup financing and scaling led her to Venture Grade where she contributes as an
Investment Analyst and VCIC planning team member.
- Phone:+1 (859) 254-6589
- Email:info@example.com

Vishnu Desai
Donor Relations
Vishnu, from Hyderabad, India is a full-time MBA student at the Sobey School of Business at
Saint Mary’s University. Having pursued an undergraduate degree in computer science with a
focus on data science, Vishnu has interests in the same which was further followed by research
and work experience in data science. He’s worked in startups in the past and his interest in
venture capital courses has been due to the same which was further motivated by the design of
the course being more hands-on and practical in nature. He is a part of the donor relations team
which oversees pitching the Venture Grade program to prospective donors, whose donations feed
the fund for current and future students who take this course.

Xiaoyang Luo
Investments
Xiaoyang Luo is a full-time MBA candidate at Saint Mary’s University and is a member of the Investment Team at Venture Grade. He graduated from the University of Kent with a Master’s degree in Finance, Investment & Risk. Xiaoyang worked as an Investment Project Manager for five years and accomplished several international equity investment projects with a total amount of over 200 million USD. He has a passion for the Capital Market and Investing, and the complex investment experience heightened his leadership, analysis and communication skills. Xiaoyang is an amateur musician and enjoys playing guitar and singing.
Governing Council

Andrew Ray
General Partner, Last 40 Ventures
A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary
- Phone:+1 (859) 254-6589
- Email:info@example.com

Dr. Ellen Farrell
Venture Capital Professor | Founder | General Partner
A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary
- Phone:+1 (859) 254-6589
- Email:info@example.com

Harjeet Bhabra
Dean, Sobey school of Business
A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary
- Phone:+1 (859) 254-6589
- Email:info@example.com

Nick Perrin
General Partner
Nicholas is the current General Partner of Venture Grade. He graduated from Saint Mary’s University in 2022 with a Bachelor of Commerce. He has previously completed a diploma in Business Administration Management at the Nova Scotia Community College. He has previously worked as a Sales Administrator for several years, for Atlantic Canada’s largest egg grading and marketing company, but left to continue his academic career. With an entrepreneurial spirit, Nicholas enjoys exploring the world of venture capital, and learning more about the local start-up ecosystem.