Unveiling our Web Presence, Mission, and Team
HawkTower exits incubation and begins to accelerate, adding new venture hires, advisory support, and critical capabilities
HawkTower is a new venture capital firm focused on Underleveraged California. Our mission is to foster innovation and commercialization in critical rising and emerging regions of California, a state that still holds untapped potential as the world’s fifth-largest economy. We believe that a thriving California, one that continues to grow, compete, and innovate on a global scale, is crucial for America’s overall prosperity.
Today, our website launched. We are also excited to announce additions to the HawkTower team and advisory, including:
Bill Sherrod, a 29-year Navy veteran and former Strategic Advisor to the President of the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), has joined HawkTower as a Venture Partner. Bill, who initially joined us as an advisor in February, has quickly become an indispensable part of our team. His extensive experience in Dual-Use Technology, Advanced Air Mobility, Blue Economy, and more, brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to HawkTower.
Tori Lecomte is now a Venture Partner at HawkTower. Tori is a former Forbes 30 Under 30 and an investment banker at Barclays in their Technology, Media, and Telecom Group. She was lead analyst on the Fitbit and GoPro IPOs. Before joining HawkTower, she was the founder and CEO of Sesh which had a successful exit to Caraway.
HawkTower is thrilled to announce our strategic partnership with Tesserakt Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm based in Central California. This collaboration, at a time of critical opportunity for emerging California, will drive cohesion in the marketplace. Daniel Sabzehzar (Venture Partner) and Phoenix Skeahan (Operating Partner) will join HawkTower, enhancing our sourcing, diligence, and portfolio support capabilities.
Lenny Mendonca, a Turlock native, is a new advisor to HawkTower. Lenny served as the Chief Economic and Business Advisor to Governor Gavin Newsom of California and was the Chair of the California High Speed Rail Authority. Mendonca is also a Senior Partner Emeritus at McKinsey & Company, where he founded the firm’s U.S. state and local public sector consulting practice.
Walt Duflock, head of innovation for the Western Growers Association, is a new advisor to HawkTower. Walt is a partner at a 5th-generation family farming operation in Monterey County. In addition to 30 years of experience at Silicon Valley tech startups, Walt and his team at WGA are extraordinary thought leaders in the AgTech ecosystem.
Our technical advisory capacity is significantly strengthened with the support of Alexander Wolf, Dean of the Baskin School of Engineering at UCSC, Amy Fleischer, Dean, the College of Engineering California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and Rakesh Goel, Dean, School of Engineering, University of California, Merced. HawkTower is confident in the entrepreneurial acumen and potential of each of these universities (as well as NPS, UC Davis, Fresno St., and others).
I’m humbled to share these updates with you as we continue to grow our firm out in the open with your input. I look forward to seeing you tonight at the State of Downtown event in Fresno.
