Yevgeny "Yev" Ioffe, Advisor
Yev is an accomplished technology professional, having held positions at both startups and large corporations in such diverse industries as software, publishing, and music industry. Yev co-founded Mi-Si (www.mi-si.com) – a company that designs and manufactures patented battery-free acoustic amplification technology for musical instruments. His professional interests lie in entrepreneurship, businesses, investing, and edtech. Yev is the co-director of Startup Grind Boston, a member of Downtown Boston Rotary Club, and a proud parent. Yev holds BSc in Biology and MA in Computer Science from Brandeis University, and MBA from Boston College. Outside of professional interests, Yev enjoys running on the coastal New England beaches, training for marathons and half marathons, and traveling on off-beaten paths.
Yevgeny "Yev" Ioffe, Director of Operations
Yev is an accomplished technology professional, having held positions at both startups and large corporations in such diverse industries as software, publishing, and music industry. Yev co-founded Mi-Si (www.mi-si.com) – a company that designs and manufactures patented battery-free acoustic amplification technology for musical instruments. His professional interests lie in entrepreneurship, businesses, investing, and edtech. Yev is the co-director of Startup Grind Boston, a member of Downtown Boston Rotary Club, and a proud parent. Yev holds BSc in Biology and MA in Computer Science from Brandeis University, and MBA from Boston College. Outside of professional interests, Yev enjoys running on the coastal New England beaches, training for marathons and half marathons, and traveling on off-beaten paths.
Core Team
Our team takes pride on our ability to bring a wide range of experiences as entrepreneurs, investors, executive leadership coaches and community builders to each and every founder we work with.
Our successes and failures serve as building blocks for your venture so you do not have start from step 1.
Jason Kraus, Founder & CEO
Jason is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and community builder helping startups “Venture Forward,” the title of his book and the mission behind his ventures. Jason is an active investor through Boston Harbor Angels and the EQx Fund, with a thesis that you should always bet on the jockey and the people behind the business. He founded Prepare 4 VC in 2016 with the mission of helping bridge the gap between startups and investors, which has expanded into the Prepare 4 VC Global Startup Oasis, which helps hundreds of entrepreneurs globally through community events and resources, a virtual accelerator, and interactive programs. Jason also leads events for Startup Grind Boston and he is an active speaker and mentor across various startup programs
Jason Kraus, Founder & CEO
Jason is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and community builder helping startups “Venture Forward,” the title of his book and the mission behind his ventures. Jason is an active investor through Boston Harbor Angels and the EQx Fund, with a thesis that you should always bet on the jockey and the people behind the business. He founded Prepare 4 VC in 2016 with the mission of helping bridge the gap between startups and investors, which has expanded into the Prepare 4 VC Global Startup Oasis, which helps hundreds of entrepreneurs globally through community events and resources, a virtual accelerator, and interactive programs. Jason also leads events for Startup Grind Boston and he is an active speaker and mentor across various startup programs
Christopher Dube, Chief Strategy Officer
Christopher Dube is a versatile, results-driven serial entrepreneur with 20 years of experience coaching + consulting corporate through startup level organizations in North America, LATAM & Europe across leadership performance, sales, marketing & organizational development strategy.Prior to joining Prepare 4 VC, Christopher was the CEO & Founder of SIMPATICO Consulting, the Entrepreneur in Residence @ Boston University for TrepCamp, a Top 30 Mentor with the Santander X Global Entrepreneurship Initiative (Madrid, Spain) and Startup Advisor with the MIT Enterprise Forum (LATAM).As the Chief Strategy Officer @ Prepare 4 VC, Christopher is responsible for creating the strategic framework, logistical planning & clear lines of communication to help Prepare 4VC support early-stage ventures with finely curated partnerships, world-class educational programming & a trusted product + service marketplace accessible through the world’s first Global Startup Community – The Oasis. Christopher lives in southeastern, Massachusetts with his wife, daughter & their dog, Gus.
Christopher Dube, Chief Strategy Officer
Christopher Dube is a versatile, results-driven serial entrepreneur with 20 years of experience coaching + consulting corporate through startup level organizations in North America, LATAM & Europe across leadership performance, sales, marketing & organizational development strategy.Prior to joining Prepare 4 VC, Christopher was the CEO & Founder of SIMPATICO Consulting, the Entrepreneur in Residence @ Boston University for TrepCamp, a Top 30 Mentor with the Santander X Global Entrepreneurship Initiative (Madrid, Spain) and Startup Advisor with the MIT Enterprise Forum (LATAM).As the Chief Strategy Officer @ Prepare 4 VC, Christopher is responsible for creating the strategic framework, logistical planning & clear lines of communication to help Prepare 4VC support early-stage ventures with finely curated partnerships, world-class educational programming & a trusted product + service marketplace accessible through the world’s first Global Startup Community – The Oasis. Christopher lives in southeastern, Massachusetts with his wife, daughter & their dog, Gus.
Steve Vilkas, Chief Ecosystem Officer
Steve has had many adventures in the startup world. Starting out as a notepad-carrying novice and avid eventgoer, accelerating over time into a variety of roles and taking on responsibilities ranging from reporter to researcher, connector to cross-collaborator. Prior to this Steve served as a patient advocate for his late mother, an experience that left a deep and lasting impression on him due to her resilience and ability to connect with others even in very difficult circumstances.At Prepare 4 VC Steve serves as Chief Ecosystem Officer and Community Director, identifying and facilitating strategic partnership and growth opportunities by working extensively alongside the CSO utilizing his abilities to bring people, places and things together for purposeful prosperity. He also helps to oversee the facilitation and perpetual evolution of The Oasis within its Central Headquarters, satellite communities and social outposts.Steve lives in the North End of Boston and to this day maintains a deep and abiding appreciation for writing, innovation, photography and dad jokes.
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Steve Vilkas, Chief Ecosystem Officer
Steve has had many adventures in the startup world. Starting out as a notepad-carrying novice and avid eventgoer, accelerating over time into a variety of roles and taking on responsibilities ranging from reporter to researcher, connector to cross-collaborator. Prior to this Steve served as a patient advocate for his late mother, an experience that left a deep and lasting impression on him due to her resilience and ability to connect with others even in very difficult circumstances.At Prepare 4 VC Steve serves as Chief Ecosystem Officer and Community Director, identifying and facilitating strategic partnership and growth opportunities by working extensively alongside the CSO utilizing his abilities to bring people, places and things together for purposeful prosperity. He also helps to oversee the facilitation and perpetual evolution of The Oasis within its Central Headquarters, satellite communities and social outposts.Steve lives in the North End of Boston and to this day maintains a deep and abiding appreciation for writing, innovation, photography and dad jokes.
Ron Zakay, Entrepreneur In Residence for Breakthrough Program
Ron Zakay, a serial entrepreneur with two decades of leading and co-founding several early-stage startups and mentoring dozens of others. A proud generalist with a strong focus on innovation in automation, BI, startups, and venture ecosystems. Evangelizer by nature and a prolific networker, Ron often speaks as a specialist, judge, and panelist in angel groups, accelerators, and incubators. Now, he is forever sharing his passion for building a more inclusive, representative, and profitable future with founders and firms alike.
Ron Zakay, Entrepreneur In Residence (EIR)
Ron Zakay, a serial entrepreneur with two decades of leading and co-founding several early-stage startups and mentoring dozens of others. A proud generalist with a strong focus on innovation in automation, BI, startups, and venture ecosystems. Evangelizer by nature and a prolific networker, Ron often speaks as a specialist, judge, and panelist in angel groups, accelerators, and incubators. Now, he is forever sharing his passion for building a more inclusive, representative, and profitable future with founders and firms alike.