Part of The Yield Lab global federation of AgTech Investment Funds
The Yield Lab Asia Pacific
Team
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 Asian 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 YLAP on the Global Board of The Yield Lab.
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
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
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.
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.
The Yield Lab Asia Pacific
Advisors
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.
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.
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
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.