Michelle Shi

Open Innovation Manager

2024

Director Of Business Development

2022 - 2023

Senior Ventures Associate

2020 - 2022

Director of Innovation, Food and Agtech

2020 - 2022

> Led 8 investments from start to finish, conducting due diligence and analytical assessments for potential investment opportunities (competitive landscape, IP, team, market drivers, etc.). > Oversee all Food and Agtech investments globally, define investment thesis within Food and Ag. > Lead expansion efforts into Chicago, IL; Topeka, KS; Fargo, ND; Bangkok, Thailand, and build local teams to better facilitate the innovation initiatives of the corporate partners. > Define innovation roadmaps and strategies with executives and various business units to source startup companies internationally, based on their short term and long term technology needs. Clients include: The Coca-Cola Company, Pepsico, Mondelez, ADM, IFF, Hershey’s, Tyson Foods, Red Bull, Ocean Spray, Ezaki Glico, Ajinomoto, Walmart Food Safety Center, etc. > Perform market research in upstream food and agtech industries to identify market drivers and fast growing startup technology for corporate partner engagement. Conduct screening and analysis of minimal viable product, intellectual property, total addressable market, go to market strategy for accelerator program based off corporate client requirements

Ventures Associate

2020 - 2020

Ventures Analyst

2018 - 2020

> Performed market dynamics analysis along the food value chain to identify new investment trends and opportunities. Sourced 600 new startup companies in the Food and Health industries. > Published 5 market reports (GMO/Gene-Editing, Microbiome, Types of Site-Specific Mutagenesis, Pharmaceutical Value Chain, Consumers Revolutionizing the Food Industry) to help position Food & Beverage program as thought leaders in the industry. > Researched potential market opportunities for International Expansion and was part of the core team that conducted feasibility study responsible for startup engagement and discovery in Brazil. Based on market research, established relationships with key stakeholders to ensure proper delivery of new product, including Fortune 500 executives and growth stage startup companies.

Teaching Assistant

2016 - 2018

Taught Organic Chemistry classes. Tutored undergraduate students in one-on-one sessions for General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Biostatistics, Physics, Biochemistry, Physiology and Microbiology.

Research Assistant

2016 - 2018

Thesis: “Genetic Screen Identifies Novel Mutations in the Meiotic Recombination Pathway” Ran mutagenesis screen at Hochwagen Lab to study the processes underlying meiosis and meiotic recombination. Experiments: CRISPR-Cas9, Illumina sequencing, PCR, spore dissection, CHEF gels, SDS-PAGE, Western Blot, Southern Blot, immunofluorescence on spread chromosome, FACS (fluorescence-activated cell sorting), spindle-pole body duplication assay