Staff
Angela Kujava, Managing Director
Angela is responsible for the execution and development of the Desai’s business acceleration program, including mentoring and counseling startups and selecting and managing investments. She works closely with the region’s business communities for the benefit of not only the participating startups but also the broader entrepreneurial landscape. Her areas of expertise include storytelling, design thinking, human-centered design, customer discovery, strategic planning, creative leadership, and innovation narratives. Angela earned the Foundations in Creative Leadership, Leading for Creativity, Cultivating Creative Collaboration and Storytelling for Influence certifications from IDEO, and previously held the Certified Financial Planner™ and Certified Investment Management Analyst certifications. Angela holds a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Michigan, and is a Masters of Design Methods '23 candidate at the Institute of Design at the Illinois Institute of Technology.
Steve Janssens, Program Manager
Steve supports the execution and development of the program, including managing the internship program and mentoring the startups. Steve was the Chief Operating Officer of LastBasic, a global marketplace for product development startup based in Madrid, Spain. He brings 15 years experience bringing new products to market for early-stage startups and established consumer brands in the Bay Area, and global exposure to the hardware industry. Steve's areas of expertise include new product development, eCommerce marketplaces, team development, early career mentorship, and optimism. Steve earned Bachelor's degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Technological University and Physics at Kalamazoo College. He holds an M.B.A. from I.E. Business School in Madrid, with a focus on Entrepreneurship and Digital Transformation.
Satish Malnaik, Entrepreneur in Residence
Satish Malnaik is a technology and venture creation enthusiast driven by a passion for innovation. He is CEO and co-founder of NextServices, leading a global team delivering a cloud health technology platform and knowledge-based revenue cycle services. Satish is also a co-founder at Fantelope, a collaboration marketplace for personalities, designers and charities.
Kim Gamez, Entrepreneur in Residence
For the past seventeen years, Kim has founded businesses in both the US and Mexico. Most recently, she was featured in Forbes, The Today Show, and has been dubbed Tech Start Up Darling with her latest endeavor, Mi Padrino. Kim is the founder of Mi Padrino, an event-planning, crowd-gifting platform for Hispanic families all across the US and Mexico. With over 1 million users in the past year, Mi Padrino makes it easy for families to plan weddings, quinceañeras, and more with ease, online. Kim is proud to be representing women entrepreneurs and serving the largest growing demographic in the United States.
