Kristoffer Kizer

Senior Associate

2023 - Current

Iron Key is an investment DAO focused on liquid and venture opportunities in crypto. We invest in Seed-Stage, and Series A B2B2C startups focused on accelerating enterprise and consumer adoption in blockchain/Web3. Iron Key is backed by 200+ LPs on a decentralized network globally that deploys $1MN+ annually. We specialize in sectors including DeFi Protocols, Crypto/Blockchain, Metaverse/Play-to-Earn, Deep Tech, Smart Contract APIs, NFT infrastructure, AI/ML, Big Data, and IoT. • Conducting thorough due diligence and investment analysis for various early-stage blockchain startups, identifying high-potential opportunities across DeFi, Metaverse, and AI-driven blockchain sectors. • Identifying and evaluating Seed and Series A investment opportunities, collaborating closely with founders and industry experts to assess technological viability and market fit using Iron Key's proprietary deal evaluation framework. • Conducting in-depth market analysis, staying updated with the latest trends, emerging technologies, and competitive landscape within the Web3 landscape to position Web3 startups attractively to potential investors. • Cultivating and nurturing relationships with a global network of LPs, supporting ongoing fundraising efforts, and fostering a collaborative investment community. • Contributing to developing an Angel/VC Investor training program for aspiring Web3 VCs/Angels, exponentially growing our global decentralized network of subject matter experts, LPs, Venture Partners, and Scouts. • Advising Web3 founders on their Go-To-Market strategy (i.e., token launches, platform design strategy, etc.) and fundraising/capital raising strategy (i.e., pitch decks, investor-facing datarooms, investor database, etc.) by leveraging Iron Key's global network of subject matter experts.

Investor

2023

VU Venture Partners is a $100M VC Fund interested in VC Verticals, each targeting a ~10-100x+ return within ~5-10 years. Verticals such as Consumer (e.g., D2C Brands, Marketplaces, Web3), Enterprise (e.g., B2B Solutions, Big Data, Cybersecurity), FinTech (e.g., Fin. Services, Blockchain, NFTs, Crypto), Frontier (e.g., AI, Robotics, Materials, SpaceTech), Healthcare (e.g., HealthTech, Medical Devices, BioTech, Pharma), PropTech (e.g., Residential & Commercial Real Estate Tech). Since successfully completing Venture University, VU Investor Alums are invited to join "Bonded." Bonded is VU's Affinity Investor Syndicate. VU Venture Partner's Fund Performance: • Top decile performance with an IRR of ~72%+ • ~90+ Portfolio Companies • Benchmarked As A 97% Top Performing Fund • Managed by senior investment partners with 50+ years of investment experience and who have some of the earliest and largest investors in 20+ unicorns, valued at $1B+ each

Venture Associate, FinTech (i.e., Crypto, Web3, Blockchain) Investment Team

2022 - 2023

Venture University is regarded The World's Leading Investor Accelerator For Venture Capital, Private Equity, & Angel Investing. Venture University's Investor Accelerators Are Designed For Individuals Looking To Gain High Quality Investment Experience In Order To Break Into The VC/PE Industry, Launch Their Own Funds, & Advance Their Careers. Collectively, VU's investment teams sources 4,000-5,000 Companies per Quarter, while the the fund sources approximately 20,000 deal per year. • Completed VU's Venture Capital Investor Accelerator Program, which is an 11-week live Triple Certificate Program that includes 50+ hours of Three Executive Education Programs (i.e., VC Masterclass, Advanced VC Modules, Fireside Chats) and a Venture Capital Investment Apprenticeship. • Forged over 130+ strategic alliances within the startup community. • Championed 3-7+ investment deals per quarter, driving portfolio diversification across the Web3/Crypto vertical. • Initiated and nurtured 50+ investor-startup engagements, culminating in pivotal funding and talent partnerships.

Investor

2023

Venture Fellow

2022 - 2023

Rebel One (RB1) is an early-stage fund and global investor network accelerating rebel founders for a better world. RB1 aims to democratize access to investment while solving the world’s most systemic problems aligned with zero goals (i.e., zero pollution, zero poverty, and zero diseases). • Sourced and analyzed 500+ deals per quarter (i.e., pre-seed, seed—stage, and Series A) across various verticals. • Advise 10+ startup founders on scaling up their ventures (i.e., talent acquisition, business development, revenue management, customer fulfillment, etc.) to achieve a $100M - $1B exit within 5 years. • Assisted in evaluating, screening, and selecting new impact investing opportunities from diverse founders in the U.S., Africa, and LATAM.

ExO Ambassador - Disruptive Innovation Consultant

2019

OpenExO, Inc. is a global innovation management consulting marketplace. OpenExO provides consultants, coaches, and freelancers training on how to use The Exponential Organizations (ExO) methodology. The ExO approach fosters exponential growth within and around an organization. The approaches focus on self-disruption, resource efficiency (assets, labor, capital, etc.), and increased technological adoption of exponential technologies (i.e., IoT, AI, XR/VR/AR/MR, Metaverse, Cloud Computing, Robotics, 3D printing, blockchain). Consulting projects include, but are not limited to: • Advised 30+ early-stage founders on how to build repeatable, disruptive, and scalable businesses using the Exponential Organizations methodology, which resulted in integrating emerging and exponential technologies. • Executed 15+ virtual presentations informing industry leaders on exponential technologies (i.e., IoT, AI/VR/MR, Robotics, 3D printing, blockchain, etc.) to help them create disruptive business models that will increase revenue and time-to-market cycles. • Taking an initiative to help inject $100B in Black Generational Wealth by 2030 by partnering with 1863 Ventures on the “New Majority” project (traditionally labeled underrepresented groups).

Senior Associate Consultant, Solution Delivery

2021 - 2023

Kantar is the world’s leading market research consultancy that helps brands grow by using data to understand people. This team specializes in turning quantitative and qualitative consumer data into actionable insights for clients using data visualizations and data-driven storytelling. Accomplishments listed below: • Generated 30+ consumer insight reports (i.e., media effectiveness, product testing, new product development, ad copy testing, etc.) using Kantar’s product solutions and analytical frameworks to deliver client reports for 20 of the top 100 brands (i.e., advertisers, media publishers, and agencies). • Improved operational efficiency, client relations, and service delivery by addressing clients’ needs and solving client business problems using Kantar’s proprietary analytical frameworks and agile research software platforms; this led to an ongoing 95% client satisfaction score per each report across 10+ accounts. • Strategized with other senior leaders and subject matter experts to create an insights-driven product innovation infrastructure for a $10MM custom innovation research account within the tobacco industry. This resulted in the client making new product development decisions on real-time consumer insights

Associate Account Executive, Digital Experience Team

2018 - 2020

We Are Unlimited was a start-up creative agency. I helped lead the Digital Experience Team for the McDonald’s brand across business verticals such as McDonald’s.com, Global Mobile App, McDonald’s Social, and McDelivery. This team maximized creativity, technology, & partnerships to drive consumer purchase behavior, deliver cutting-edge brand innovation, and elevate affinity through digital experiences and platforms. • Executed and crafted creative briefs for multichannel productions within designated business verticals such as McDonalds.com, Global Mobile App, and McDelivery, as measured by delivering projects to meet deadlines by leading cross-functional teams. • Discovered and investigated unique disruptive opportunities for brand growth by monitoring emerging media and exponential technologies to provide innovative thought leadership for clients. • Orchestrated McDonald's customer obsession strategic initiatives (i.e., mobile app) by solving unforeseen challenges and communicating with senior leadership and day-to-day client. • Conduct sophisticated research and analysis on market, competitive, and customer trends using sound analytical insights to report findings to the Global Consumer Insights Team for the McDonald’s brand.

Business Strategy/Go-To-Market Strategy Intern

2019 - 2020

This is an 1871-backed early-stage online memorial startup. LifeWeb harnesses the outpouring of love that happens when someone passes to capture their essence authentically, honor them, and comfort their family that they were seen in this world. • Developed a Go-To-Market strategy for a consumer early-stage startup within the online memorialization space. • Conducted market research and analysis to identify new disruptive opportunities and inform ongoing strategic planning. • Recommended partnerships to expand the company user base and diversify revenue streams. • Designed a competitive analysis framework to stay ahead of market trends and the competitive landscape. • Assisted with conducting financial analysis and forecasting to support strategic decision-making and secure funding from VC investors.

Business Leadership Intern, Global Digital Media Team

2018 - 2018

• Conducted research on the pain points of Adult Smokers 21+ using mobile coupons, then orchestrated a creative briefing on how might the Marlboro brand reach 2.1 unique million coupon users by the end of 2019 by converting current click-to-mail (CTM) users to switch over to mobile coupons. • Enhanced knowledge base of Marlboro’s business and the Tobacco industry by conducting a competitive analysis and an external market assessment. • Managed promotional deliverables for Marlboro's email marketing creative assets (Total Monthly Newsletters and Mobile Coupon Equity emails) across all of Marlboro's brand families (red, gold, green, and black) daily. • Gathered and analyzed research (competitive, category, consumer, and innovation trends) for a prospective fast-casual client within 72 hours to enable senior leaders deliver a compelling new business pitch.

Corporate VC Go-To-Market Strategy Intern, Small Business Marketing Team

2017 - 2017

Presented a Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy to attract high-growth startup customers that would grow CDW's customer base within their Small Business Marketing department by designing a High-Growth Startup Playbook. • Identified market opportunities by conducting a startup market analysis on high-growth startup companies that have received over $1M in VC funding to expand CDW’s customer base. • Educated senior leadership on the different growth stages for startups, value proposition, strategic messaging, and how to foster relationships with the influencers within targeted startup tech ecosystems such as Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Austin. • Presented a Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy designed to attract high-growth startup customers, resulting in a High-Growth Startup Playbook that CDW executives leveraged to build a Corporate VC division.