The iVenture team.

The incredible iVenture ecosystem is led by a small full-time staff. Current and emeritus staff members have led the 20+ programs that comprise the entire ecosystem.

A cohort of students and staff raising their hands in celebration in a posed photo.
A cohort of students and staff raising their hands in celebration in a posed photo.
A cohort of students and staff raising their hands in celebration in a posed photo.
A candid photo of Manu Edakara, theh director.

Director

A candid photo of Manu Edakara, theh director.

Director

Manu Edakara

Manu Edakara

Hello, I'm Manu. In my role, I coach a diverse array of ambitious young people on career — especially those inspired to pursue entrepreneurship. A significant portion of my time is spent thinking through career, vision, impact, and life goals, often in very uncertain and risky future scenarios.

A LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR

A LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR

Mayank Mehta

Mayank Mehta

Hello! My name is Mayank, and I exist at the intersection of social impact, brand strategy, and human centered design. With a spiritual lens, I'm always looking to see how impact at scale begins and create a stronger foundation for all change-makers to create a brighter impact in our world.

A posed photo of Mayank Mehta, the Assistant Director

Assistant Director

A posed photo of Mayank Mehta, the Assistant Director

Assistant Director

Staff, emeritus

Staff, emeritus

iVenture wouldn't be where it is without them here first.

iVenture wouldn't be where it is without them here first.

  • A posed photo of Noah Isserman, one of the founders of iVenture.

    Noah Isserman

    Co-Founder

    iV1-8

    Professor Noah Isserman is the reason iVenture exists, plain and simple. A Gates Scholar from Cambridge focused on the financing and future of social goods, Professor Isserman worked with hundreds of nonprofits, companies, and government boards, mostly at the board level, on six continents. A former CEO with two successful exits, Noah is the founder of iVenture Accelerator and Illinois Social Innovation and the inaugural Faculty Director of the Origin Ventures Office of Entrepreneurship. His visionary leadership led to our extraordinary values and community. Today, he continues to advise and invest in the next generation of founders.

  • A posed photo of Noah Isserman, one of the founders of iVenture.

    Noah Isserman

    Co-Founder

    iV1-8

    Professor Noah Isserman is the reason iVenture exists, plain and simple. A Gates Scholar from Cambridge focused on the financing and future of social goods, Professor Isserman worked with hundreds of nonprofits, companies, and government boards, mostly at the board level, on six continents. A former CEO with two successful exits, Noah is the founder of iVenture Accelerator and Illinois Social Innovation and the inaugural Faculty Director of the Origin Ventures Office of Entrepreneurship. His visionary leadership led to our extraordinary values and community. Today, he continues to advise and invest in the next generation of founders.

  • A headshot of one of the iVenture co-founders, Ryan Singh

    Ryan Singh

    Co-Founder

    iV1-3

    Ryan Singh is the cofounder of iVenture Accelerator and Illinois Social Innovation. As our lead coordinator, Ryan was instrumental in building the operations and community of our office. He is also the co-founder and COO of Loop Health (an iVenture 1 startup), where he's focused on pioneering value-based and preventative healthcare in India.

  • A headshot of one of the iVenture co-founders, Ryan Singh

    Ryan Singh

    Co-Founder

    iV1-3

    Ryan Singh is the cofounder of iVenture Accelerator and Illinois Social Innovation. As our lead coordinator, Ryan was instrumental in building the operations and community of our office. He is also the co-founder and COO of Loop Health (an iVenture 1 startup), where he's focused on pioneering value-based and preventative healthcare in India.

  • A photo of a past communications coordinator, Kristin Walters

    Kristin Walters

    Communications Coordinator

    iV1-6

    Kristin Walters was part of the iVenture founding team as our Communications Director and guided our messaging through challenging times such as the pandemic.

  • A photo of a past communications coordinator, Kristin Walters

    Kristin Walters

    Communications Coordinator

    iV1-6

    Kristin Walters was part of the iVenture founding team as our Communications Director and guided our messaging through challenging times such as the pandemic.

iVenture Fellowship

The iVenture staff is supported by incredible Fellows. From operations to events to data to social media to videography to DEI, the iVenture Fellows span a wide variety of professions across a diverse number of colleges, majors, and dreams.

A posed photo of students from the nineth cohort of iVenture.
A posed photo of students from the nineth cohort of iVenture.

Multi-cohort fellows.

They loved iVenture so much they decided to come back again and again.

New year, new Fellow friends.

The iVenture Fellowship grows every year. We couldn't be who we are without them being who they are.

A candid photo of Manu Edakara, theh director.

Director

Manu Edakara

Hello, I'm Manu. In my role, I coach a diverse array of ambitious young people on career — especially those inspired to pursue entrepreneurship. A significant portion of my time is spent thinking through career, vision, impact, and life goals, often in very uncertain and risky future scenarios.

A LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR

Mayank Mehta

Hello! My name is Mayank, and I exist at the intersection of social impact, brand strategy, and human centered design. With a spiritual lens, I'm always looking to see how impact at scale begins and create a stronger foundation for all change-makers to create a brighter impact in our world.

A posed photo of Mayank Mehta, the Assistant Director

Assistant Director

Staff, emeritus

iVenture wouldn't be where it is without them here first.

  • A posed photo of Noah Isserman, one of the founders of iVenture.

    Noah Isserman

    Co-Founder

    iV1-8

    Professor Noah Isserman is the reason iVenture exists, plain and simple. A Gates Scholar from Cambridge focused on the financing and future of social goods, Professor Isserman worked with hundreds of nonprofits, companies, and government boards, mostly at the board level, on six continents. A former CEO with two successful exits, Noah is the founder of iVenture Accelerator and Illinois Social Innovation and the inaugural Faculty Director of the Origin Ventures Office of Entrepreneurship. His visionary leadership led to our extraordinary values and community. Today, he continues to advise and invest in the next generation of founders.

  • A headshot of one of the iVenture co-founders, Ryan Singh

    Ryan Singh

    Co-Founder

    iV1-3

    Ryan Singh is the cofounder of iVenture Accelerator and Illinois Social Innovation. As our lead coordinator, Ryan was instrumental in building the operations and community of our office. He is also the co-founder and COO of Loop Health (an iVenture 1 startup), where he's focused on pioneering value-based and preventative healthcare in India.

  • A photo of a past communications coordinator, Kristin Walters

    Kristin Walters

    Communications Coordinator

    iV1-6

    Kristin Walters was part of the iVenture founding team as our Communications Director and guided our messaging through challenging times such as the pandemic.

iVenture Fellowship

The iVenture staff is supported by incredible Fellows. From operations to events to data to social media to videography to DEI, the iVenture Fellows span a wide variety of professions across a diverse number of colleges, majors, and dreams.

A posed photo of students from the nineth cohort of iVenture.

Multi-cohort fellows.

They loved iVenture so much they decided to come back again and again.

  • A photo of Sarah Brincks, a previous lead program fellow.

    Sarah Brincks

    Lead Program

    iV4, 6

    A photo of Pooja Deshmukh, a previous operations fellow.

    Pooja Deshmukh

    Operations

    iV4, 6

    A photo of Bianca Chan, a previous marketing fellow.

    Bianca Chan

    Marketing

    iV4, 7

    A photo of Chuck Miller, a previous outreach fellow.

    Chuck Miller

    Outreach

    iV5

    A photo of Sanya Rupani, a previous design fellow.

    Sanya Rupani

    Design

    iV5, 6

    A photo of Joseph Abe-Bell, a previous videography fellow.

    Joseph Abe-Bell

    Videography

    iV5, 6, 7

  • A photo of Gaberiel Price, a previous lead program fellow.

    Gabriel Price

    Lead Program

    iV4, 5, 6, 7

    A photo of Joshua Jay James, a previous marketing fellow.

    Joshua Jay James

    Marketing

    iV6, 7, 8

    A photo of Sathwik Reddy, a previous lead program fellow.

    Sathwik Reddy

    Lead Program

    iV6, 7, 8

    A photo of Rebekah Phaiboun, a previous social media fellow.

    Rebekah Phaiboun

    Social Media

    iV8, 9

    A photo of Rishi Sadanandan, a previous events fellow.

    Rishi Sadanandan

    Events

    iV8, 9

  • A photo of Karolina Guerrero, a previous design fellow.

    Karolina Guerrero

    Design

    iV6, 7, 8

    A photo of Aasiyah Adnan, a previous D E I fellow.

    Aasiyah Adnan

    DEI

    iV8, 10

    A photo of Benji Chung, a previous D E I fellow.

    Benji Chung

    DEI

    iV9, 10

    A photo of Karan Jain, a previous lead program fellow.

    Karan Jain

    Lead Program

    iV9, 10

    A photo of Mohammad El-Jawhari, a previous lead program fellow.

    Mohammad El-Jawhari

    Lead Program

    iV9, 10

    A photo of John Rimando, the current operations fellow.

    John Rimando

    Operations

    iV10, 11

New year, new Fellow friends.

The iVenture Fellowship grows every year. We couldn't be who we are without them being who they are.

  • A photo of Shanat Barua, a previous lead program fellow.

    Shanat Barua

    Lead Program

    iV3

    A photo of Veena Yeleswerapu, a previous outreach fellow from the 5th cohort.

    Veena Yeleswerapu

    Outreach

    iV5

    A photo of Min Soo Kim, a previous lead program fellow from the fifth cohort.

    Min Soo Kim

    Lead Program

    iV5

    A photo of McKayla Carruthers, a previous operations fellow from the fifth cohort.

    McKayla Carruthers

    Operations

    iV5

    A photo of Albert Chen, a previous operations fellow from the seventh cohort.

    Albert Chen

    Operations

    iV7

  • A photo of Steven Li, a previous writing fellow.

    Steven Li

    Writing

    iV7

    A photo of Michelle Enright, a previous events fellow from the eighth cohort.

    Michelle Enright

    Events

    iV8

    A photo of Prachi Nerkar, a previous operations fellow from the eighth cohort.

    Prachi Nerkar

    Operations

    iV8

    A photo of Nour Longi, a previous writing fellow from the eighth cohort.

    Nour Longi

    Writing

    iV8

    A photo of Alexa Smith, a previous writing fellow from the eighth cohort.

    Alexa Smith

    Writing

    iV8

    A photo of Aishani Sahoo, a previous data fellow from the ninth cohort.

    Aishani Sahoo

    Data

    iV9

  • Sophia Libman

    High school shadow

    iV9

    A photo of Will Lawson, a previous outreach fellow from the ninth cohort.

    Will Lawson

    Outreach

    iV9

    Samantha Palazzolo

    Social Media

    iV9

    A photo of Rachel Sigrist, a previous social media fellow from the tenth cohort.

    Rachel Sigrist

    Social Media

    iV10

    A photo of Ella Bruks, the current social innovation fellow from the tenth cohort.

    Ella Bruks

    Social Innovation

    iV10

    A photo of Emily Chen, the current social media fellow from the tenth cohort.

    Emily Chen

    Social Media

    iV10

iVenture Accelerator

The educational accelerator for startups ready to scale within the U of I system.

Learn more

A letter from the director

Staff

Apply

iVenture programs for students

iVenture programs for educators

The iVenture Fellowship

Upcoming events

Find us at /

iventure@illinois.edu

iVenture Accelerator

The educational accelerator for startups ready to scale within the U of I system.

Learn more

A letter from the director

Staff

Apply

iVenture programs for students

iVenture programs for educators

The iVenture Fellowship

Upcoming events

Find us

iventure@illinois.edu

iVenture Accelerator

The educational accelerator for startups ready to scale within the U of I system.

Learn more

A letter from the director

Staff

Apply

iVenture programs for students

iVenture programs for educators

The iVenture Fellowship

Upcoming events

Find us at /

iventure@illinois.edu