Ira S. Weiss, managing director, is an assistant professor of accounting, business law and taxation at Columbia Business School. Ira joined the RK group in 1999, and is the Chairman of the Board of Bidshift and is on the board of directors of Orly’s Treehouse. Ira has lead investments in energy technology, healthcare, and biotech, and is actively involved in each company funded by the RK Ventures. Before joining Columbia Business School, Ira worked as an economic consultant specializing in tax and corporate financial strategies. In his academic work, he has published on valuation issues of earnings, and on tax and accounting regulation. Ira received both his MBA and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago.

Matthew Rhodes-Kropf, senior advisor, is an associate professor of finance and economics at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business specializing in venture capital.  Matt is a highly respected expert on venture capital financing, and is an award winning teacher of entrepreneurial finance at Columbia.  Matt founded the RK Ventures group in 1997 to make investments in promising early-stage companies, and has been actively involved in each company funded by the RK group.  Matt currently serves on the board of Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, and has been instrumental in several of the successful investments made by the RK group.   In his academic work, he has published widely in the top finance journals, particularly on alternative investment, governance and Mergers and Acquisitions.  He received his M.A. and PhD from Duke University in economics.

Richard Najuch, Associate