Giles Shih is a Founder-in-Residence who specializes in Food and Ag Tech at CED. Giles is an experienced life sciences entrepreneur who started, grew, and sold an ag biotech company focused on animal health and nutrition. When Giles first launched his company, BRI (now part of Novus International), in 1999, he quickly realized the importance of having a strong entrepreneurial network. Looking back, he recognizes that CED played a pivotal role in his journey.

As a board member at CED and a dedicated advocate for entrepreneurial success, Joy Parr Drach has witnessed firsthand the impact of support organizations like CED on startup growth. According to Joy, starting a company is inherently challenging, and “entrepreneurial support organizations like CED can mean the difference between success and failure.” CED excels at connecting young companies with the vital resources they need to grow. In particular, the Mentor Match program has made a significant impact, offering mentorship that allows entrepreneurs to gain fresh perspectives on their challenges.

Susan Cook is a seasoned startup operator and former CEO of Zaloni, a venture-backed enterprise data management company. She is currently the CEO of DAS42, a leading data and analytics consulting firm. “I have such a passion for helping startups because I have sat in that very, very lonely seat of being a CEO in a startup,” she shares, “You get really buried in building it, saving it, and crisis management every day.”