Entrepreneur Challenge 2018

Judges of the Virginia Tech Entrepreneur Challenge

Nelson Chu joined Kinetic Ventures in 1998. His investment activities focus on information and infrastructure technologies, enterprise and Internet software, database-related applications, and other emerging software and hardware technologies. He has led a broad range of Kinetic investments including Cardlytics (NASDAQ: CDLX), LogicBlox-Predictix (acquired by Infor), Tower Cloud (acquired by Communications Sales & Leasing; NASDAQ: CSAL), BroadWare (acquired by Cisco; NASDAQ: CSCO), VerticalOne (acquired by SONE; NASDAQ: SONE), FoodBuy (acquired by Compass Group; LSE: CPG.L), Instant Financial, Navistone, and ProctorFree. Prior to joining Kinetic Ventures, Nelson was a management consultant with McKinsey & Company and a Development Manager with Oracle. He received his BS in Electrical Engineering (summa cum laude) from Virginia Tech, his MS in Electrical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his MBA with distinction from Harvard Business School. Karen Jackson is the president of Apogee Strategic Partners, a Virginia consultancy helping companies and organizations address their most daunting challenges in cyber security, autonomous systems and smart communities and cities. Ms. Jackson formerly served as the Secretary of Technology for the Commonwealth. She also served as the Commonwealth’s Deputy Secretary of Technology and Vice President of Broadband Programs for the Center for Innovative Technology. Ms. Jackson served as a senior advisor to Governor McAuliffe on technology matters including innovation, data analytics, telecommunications, cybersecurity, unmanned systems and smart communities. She was also responsible for overseeing the Commonwealth’s IT infrastructure. As Secretary, she was responsible for policy and legislative initiatives, as well as developing programs to facilitate innovation, entrepreneurship, technology development, and adoption. Ms. Jackson has been actively engaged in the federal policy initiatives including the development of the National Broadband Plan. She received a 2009 IP3 award from Public Knowledge for her work in information policy, and was named to Government Technology’s 2010 list of the top 25 Doers, Dreamers, and Drivers. In 2015, she was named to The Governing Institute Women in Government Leadership Program Class, and in 2016 was named as one of State Scoops’ GoldenGov State Executives of the Year. In 2017, Ms. Jackson was named as one of State Scoop’s Top Women in Technology and she and Governor Terry McAuliffe were jointly recognized as 2017 Difference Makers in Cyber Security by the SANS Institute. Her office also received an excellence in Government award from the Southwestern Virginia Technology Council. Ms. Jackson served on a number of Boards including the Center for Innovative Technology, the Virginia Research Investment Committee, and the Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (MAAP). She also served as Governor McAuliffe’s representative to the FCC’s Intergovernmental Advisory Committee and co-chaired the Commonwealth’s Cyber Security Commission. She holds a bachelor’s of science in business management from Christopher Newport University and a master’s of business administration from The College of William and Mary. Dennis Kelly is the President & CEO of Buchanan and Edwards. In this role he is responsible for developing and executing an aggressive growth strategy that will expand B&E’s solutions into the national security market. He has nearly 30 years of experience growing businesses through M&A and organic growth. Dennis’ previous roles were CEO of IOMAXIS, LLC, an innovative cyber security solutions firm, was the president and CEO of A-T Solutions, Inc., a counter-terrorism solutions firm supporting a variety of defense, intelligence and law enforcement customers. Following the sale of A-T Solutions to PAE, Dennis was appointed the President of PAE’s National Security Solutions business unit. He was previously the president of Tech Teamgovernment solutions and served in a variety of executive positions at Anteon International. Dennis is an adjunct professor in the George Mason University Executive MBA program and serves on the board of directors of the USO of Metropolitan Washington – Baltimore. He is a proud veteran of the US Navy.

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