top of page

The Yield Lab Asia Pacific

Team

Claire_photo.jpeg

Claire PRIBULA
Managing Director, Co-founder

Claire has over 30 years’ experience in Asia and the USA creating and leading new, and emerging lines of business for global Fortune 500 technology companies driving revenue of over US$300M, and was a founding partner of an Asia based start-up, resulting in a successful exit.

Claire has responsibility for overseeing and managing investments, fundraising, portfolio, and company operations for this $50m USD target Fund and the Accelerator. Claire also represents TYLAP on the Global Board of The Yield Lab.

Larry_photo_sept21_col_c_s.jpg

Larry TAYLOR

Co-founder

Larry has 40+ years of experience developing agriculture business in Asian markets. Beginning with smallholder farm-credit at the Malaysian National Ag Bank, he had a 20-year corporate career with big ag living and working in 9 Asian countries. Experiences included product commercialization and strategic business responsibility with 2 Fortune 50 companies. Larry owned and operated a US-Asia  consulting firm specializing in market entry strategies. Larry built businesses in global markets serving government, corporate and non-profit clients. Larry earned a degree in Agricultural Economics and Animal Science from Cornell University. 

Thad Simons

Thad SIMONS

Venture Partner

Thad is the co-founder and managing director of The Yield Lab. He is former President and CEO of Novus International, Inc., a global animal health and nutrition company with sales > US $1 billion. Thad has served on the boards of the International Food and Agribusiness Management Assn. (President), American Feed Industry Assn., National Chicken Council, Maryville University, and Advisory Board of the Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience. Thad is on the board of three AgTech startups: Ascus Biosciences, Ecto and Proviera. Thad is President of The Yield Lab Institute, the non-profit arm of The Yield Lab.

Mirzan_Mahathir.jpg

Mirzan MAHATHIR

Venture Partner

Mirzan is the Chairman and CEO of Crescent Capital, a Malaysian investment holding and financial advisory firm he founded in 1991. Mirzan holds directorships in private and public companies including Petron Corporation, listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange. Mirzan has over 25 years of experience in the investment and financial services industry; taking Konsortium Logistik Berhad public on KLSE and advised on multiple M&A deals including acquisition of Malaysia’s second national shipping line, PNSL. He serves as Chairman of Malaysian Youth Orchestra, President of Lawn Tennis Association Malaysia and was a member of the Business Advisory Council of United Nations ESCAP. 

23.jpg

Ying Tsui LIM
Analyst

Ying has more than 5 years of experience in Food Technologies and Sustainability. Starting her career in the Singapore Food Agency, Ying's has vast experience in the regulatory requirements and hurdles in agri and food technologies. Moving into industry, Ying continued to build technical and commercial expertise in agri and food technologies. Coupled with her Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from INSEAD, she brings technical, analytical, and financial skills to grow the business. 

As an Analyst at The Yield Lab Asia Pacific, Ying is responsible for investor outreach, developing a framework for impact measurement, and supporting the general work of the team.

Michelle Chee

Michelle CHEE

Principal

Michelle has more than 13 years of fund management experience.  She started her asset management career at Evia Capital, a boutique private equity fund managing an AUM of US$110m.  At Evia, she oversees investor relations and assists with due diligence, portfolio management and compliance matters.

 

As principal of The Yield Lab, she is in charge of deal execution, investment, portfolio management, investor reporting and assists with the accelerator program.  Michelle graduated with Bachelors of Business Administration from National University of Singapore.

DHAIRYA  SACHDEV_EXPRESS EMAIL TUP (PASSPORT CROP+4R RES)_3441 REDO 4R RES_edited.jpg

Dhairya SACHDEV
Investment Manager

Dhairya has over 6 years of experience in Investment Banking and Private Equity. He started his career with Macquarie’s Infrastructure business focusing on Asset Valuations and Investor Reporting of Green Energy (renewable) and Real Estate assets across Asia-Pacific. His academic (MSc in Finance at National University of Singapore) and professional experience has allowed him to acquire analytical and financial skills in operational asset management, financial modelling, and financial analysis. His focus during Masters was specializing in Corporate Finance with a second major in Venture Capital & Private Equity. 
 
In his current capacity as Senior Investment Analyst, he is responsible for supporting the team with fundraising, investment committee management, Fund Investor identification, portfolio management, investor reporting and development of Impact Measurement framework. 

The Yield Lab Asia Pacific
Advisors

raj-ketkar-photo_edited_edited.jpg

Rajendra (Raj) KETKAR
Principal Consultant, RDK Global Consulting LLC

Mr. Raj Ketkar has broad and deep experience in the ag industry. He has led businesses around the globe in ag chemicals, seeds and plant biotechnology. His functional expertise includes global commercial business, biotechnology R&D and manufacturing.
Mr. Raj Ketkar is currently Principal Consultant at RDK Global Consulting LLC. In this role he provides management consulting to the ag tech industry including mentoring ag tech startups. He also guest lectures at the School of Business at California State University, Sacramento.
Prior to this role, he was President and CEO, and member of the Board of Directors, of Arcadia Biosciences Inc. (Nasdaq: RKDA). In this role he led a significant transformation of the business that included a pivot from a technology licensing business model to a product-oriented model in the health and nutrition ingredients products space including raising new capital and rebuilding the leadership team.
Prior to Arcadia, Raj had a long career at Monsanto. He held many roles around the globe, including the launch of Bt cotton in India and the launch of new agricultural chemicals and plant biotechnology products in US and international markets. He has experience in technology licensing and has led businesses in India, Thailand/Vietnam, and the US.
Mr. Ketkar has a MS in Chemical Engineering and an MBA. He is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt.

IMG-1476[88].JPG

Rebekah MOSES
Impact Strategy, Climate Leader, Tech 

Rebekah Moses has led impact strategy teams across FoodTech, AgTech, and the broader climate food security solution space. She partnered with policymakers to drive novel research, tech uptake, and market-shaping engagement.

 

She works to mobilize operations, products, and thought leadership to deliver positive environmental and social outcomes, with a focus on governance for purpose, decarbonization of controlled environment agriculture, livestock alternatives, and effectively shaping consumer engagement.

 

Rebekah began her career in the defense industry, focusing on resource scarcity. Following her Masters in International Agricultural Development at the UC Davis, she supported public sector development and ag research at various institutes. She was Director of Impact Strategy team at Impossible Foods and Iron Ox. 

Rebekah’s climate and food system research contributions can be found in books and journals like Nature Communications (in review), Public Library of Science (PLOS), Journal of Applied Ecology, and in collaborations with the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and the Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA).

Welborn-Kyle_edited.jpg

Kyle WELBORN
Investments, AgTech, Food Security

Kyle is a cofounder and General Partner at Cultivation Capital, specializing in AgriFood Tech investments. 

Currently, he chairs the board at NanoGuard Technologies, and holds board position on many portfolio companies.

Past board service includes Label Insight, a company delivering food label data insights to government, retailers, manufacturers, and app developers, culminating in its acquisition by NielsenIQ in 2021. Kyle is also a contributor to CropLife.com, where he delves into AgTech startup investment trends.

 

Before joining the AgriFood Tech investment team, Kyle led Cultivation’s operations. In 2012, he co-founded St. Louis’ FinServe Tech Angels, which later integrated into the St. Louis Arch Angels network. He graduated from Loyola University Chicago where he majored in political science and international studies. 

Photo - ramesh raliya.jpg

Dr Ramesh RALIYA
Inventor of Nano Urea
Scientist & Entrepreneur - Nano Technology

Mr. Ramesh Raliya is the inventor of Nano Urea and is a Scientist and Entrepreneur of Nano Technology. He has been a part of IIT Delhi as Adjunct Faculty. Prior to that he was General Manager & Head (Research & Development) at Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited. He has led IFFCO's Nano Biotechnology Research Centre in India. He has been a visiting Research Scientist at the Washington University in St. Louis, USA.

He has received numerous academic honors and awards in Nano Technology, Biotechnology and Research. He has published and registered 17 patents for his innovations and science,

Dr. Raliya served as a reviewer for about 30 journals for over 1000 manuscripts from the subject of Nanotechnology, Agriculture, Environmental Science, Sustainability, Nanomedicine, Nanoscience and Material Science published by – ACS, RSC, Willey, Nature, Springer, Taylor & Francis and Elsevier. 

Mr. Raliya has a Ph.D. in Chemistry and a Post-Doc in Nanoscience and Technology

IMG-20230713-WA0001.jpg

Tobey WOOD
Transections and Capital Markets, Techstars, Goldman Sachs 

Tobey Wood started his career at Goldman Sachs, and has spent the last 10 years working with C-Suite executives across Fortune 500 companies, helping them navigate the market and advising them on their investment and innovation strategies. Tobey has extensive transaction and capital markets experience that spans, early-stage venture companies all the way through IPO, and has worked with some of the world’s largest institutional investors. Tobey has been apart of the Techstars ecosystem since 2019 and has been apart of multiple accelerators, mentored/advised numerous founders and companies, and most recently served as Entrepreneur in Residence for the Stanley, Black, & Decker 2022 program focused on Electrification.

Brian-Clevinger_edited.jpg

Brian Clevinger
Founder, Immunology, MedTech

A Prolog co-founder and managing director, Brian has been involved in the commercialization of bioscience for more than 25 years. Prior to co-founding the firm, Brian was the CEO of vaccine developer Megan Health. He led the company from its founding in 1993 to its acquisition in 2000 by AVANT Immunotherapeutics.

 

Prior to that, Brian was tapped by Alafi Capital to head its medical technology commercialization partnership with Washington University, A/W Company.

 

Brian began his professional career at Washington University, where he held a tenured position, headed a research laboratory, and created a monoclonal antibody core facility. He holds a doctorate in immunology from Indiana University and was awarded an NIH-sponsored postdoctoral fellowship at Washington University.

David Shannon photo.png

David SHANNON
Business Leader, Diversified Technology, Parker Hannifin

Mr. Shannon leads Parker’s Diversified Technology Business Unit, which develops and produces solutions rooted in the Internet of Things (IoT). The team is currently developing sensor and machine learning/AI technologies and edge/cloud software platforms that lead to more effective supply chain and manufacturing practices.  

With more than 25 years of experience, and 10 patents in the area of, IoT, Global Supply Chain technologies, and Big Data/Analytics, his diverse and accomplished executive career has seen the successful completion of assignments in corporate strategy, product development, business development, international market development, and supply chain solutions for companies like Savi Technology, a Lockheed Martin company, and IBM.

Wally_Council.png

Wally COUNCIL
Business Unit Executive, Data, AI and Automation, IBM

Wally Council is a transformational growth expert.  He is on a mission to help entrepreneurs and executives achieve revenue growth faster, with less risk and better outcomes.

Wally founded Equity Sherpas after spending over 30 years as a go-to-market professional for startups, midsize and Fortune 100 companies.  His experience in the technology industry enables him to develop a proven approach and playbooks to transform and grow business.

Wally has served as a transformational sales and marketing leader for Monster, 
Hewlett Packard Enterprise, SAP and IBM.  He has driven over $4 billion of revenue and growth in the face of fierce competition, disruption and rapidly changing business climates.

bottom of page