Shahryar Barati combines a strong multidisciplinary academic background with extensive professional experience. He has worked for major financial institutions and also as a startup C-level and a venture capital investor, bringing a wealth of practical knowledge to the table. In his entrepreneurial journey Shahryar played a central role in all aspects of business, from hiring to strategy, pricing to sales, and product development to market validation, experiencing all the ups and downs of setting up and running a startup. Having led assessments of thousands of startups and advised hundreds, his expertise is grounded in real-world experiences. Notably, he played a key role in setting up UK’s first automated high-volume VC fund, managed deal sourcing and screening activities and led investments into 50+ companies. Shahryar brings a unique dual perspective, rooted in hands-on experience with both startups and venture capitals. His deep understanding of operational challenges, commercial strategies, and investment dynamics, backed by a strong investor and specialist network, enables him to provide valuable advice and insights.