Susan Akbarpour

Managing Partner

2019 - Current

Susan has graduated from Stanford University Graduate School of Business with the Master of Science in Management (MSx) and made it her mission to develop, invest in and leverage consumer-centric technologies that have impact on the economy and humanity. In Candou, she has invested in technologies such as omnichannel marketplace as-a-service, universal and consumer driven shopping cart, micro-mobility, GDPR Compliant face recognition on NFT and Augmented Anticipatory Intelligence (Extracting truth from misinformation, deceptive information, information overload.), cross-pollinated and contactless commerce (C-Commerce), blockchain-based influence marketing, tokenized content monetization, smart contract as a service, shop-able content publishing platform as-a-service,... She is a limited partner in other funds such as How Woman Invest, Practical VC and Venture University Venture Partners.

Managing Partner

2016

Business Development and Deal Closure: Sourced and reviewed over 1000 business plans, successfully closing deals with a total enterprise value of $5 billion, with a focus on SaaS, AI, blockchain, and platform technologies. Operational Innovation and Transparency: Pioneered the automation of the entire back office to address the limitations of outdated third-party software and the lack of transparency for LPs. Led the design and development of a comprehensive, reliable, and scalable in-house platform (CIMA) at Candou Ventures.

Chief Product Officer/ Co-Founder

2024

Our journey began with frustration—frustration with the lack of transparency and disjointed communication in fund management & LP communications. After an exhaustive search for a complete solution failed, we decided to build one. The result? CIMA: a tool that empowers funds of all sizes to achieve professional-grade management without the hefty price tag. #MOICinYourPocket

Member Board of Directors

2021

Stanford GSB -The Akbarpour Aalaei Fellowship

2021

The Stanford GSB was one of the greatest experiences of my life, and I am thankful that I am now in a position to help current students fulfill their dreams. I have founded "The Akbarpour Aalaei Fellowship", which provides need-based financial aid to Farsi-speaking GSB students in August 2021. The fellowship provides financial support for MBA, MSx, or PhD students who are enrolled in Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB), with a first preference for Farsi speaking students from Iran, Afghanistan, or the central Asian republic of Tajikistan, and a second preference for students who were raised in Farsi speaking families or who have at least one parent from Iran, Afghanistan, or the central Asian republic of Tajikistan. If you apply to the school and are accepted, you'll be considered for my fellowship. The average Stanford GSB fellowship is $40,000 per year and does not have to be repaid. Wishing you the best in your journey. "The lack of diversity in higher education is a problem that we as a country must tackle if we're going to live up to our promise." Wendy Kopp Links: https://lnkd.in/dzjAtXFX https://lnkd.in/dd8gZVpz

Candidate, NYSE Board Diversity Initiative

2022

Susan Akbarpour is a candidate at the NYSE Board Diversity Initiative. Formed in response to the lack of #diversity on corporate boards, this initiative prepares CEO-vetted candidates for corporate boards and proactively addresses the critical need for inclusive leadership by connecting diverse candidates with NYSE-listed companies seeking new directors. Susan has always been a fierce advocate for gender equality and women's empowerment and is serving on the boards of tech startups such as Facenote, Entropy and Algopix as well as non-profits such as KQED (NPR Affiliate Network), How Women Lead, and MAP (Moms Against Poverty)

Founder

2023

Democracy 3.0 is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and open-source social application for non-profit and community groups to organize without being shadow-banned or blocked by commercial social media networks. Our key principles are: - Free access - Transparent, open-source platform - Limiting one account per person through liveliness verification, while ensuring privacy and not requiring government ID to protect activists operating in regions that demand anonymity. This approach reduces disinformation prevalent in current social media, prevents commercial use of user data, avoids filter bubbles, and ensures news feeds are not commercially influenced by special interest groups. The profound impact of the Women, Life, Freedom movements, along with the January 6 events, in both my home country and my adopted homeland, have served as profound inspiration for the creation of Democracy 3.0, a . These events have shed light on the urgent need for a platform like D3 in the face of disinformation and astroturfing campaigns aimed at undermining both Mahsa's movement and the democratic fabric of the United States. Democracy 3.0 (D3) is a free, secure, mission-driven, trusted, and community-supported nonprofit social network that aims to redefine social networking while safeguarding community organizing initiatives and combatting external interference. It offers state-of-the-art biometric verification, user privacy protection, and a platform for community organizing. In honor of Mahsa Amini and all those who have fearlessly sacrificed their lives in the pursuit of truth around the world, Democracy 3.0 is steadfast in its commitment to safeguard the fundamental principles of freedom, gender equality, and democratic values. This non-profit initiative strives to tackle the prevalent issues of disinformation and astroturfing, while fostering transparency, inclusivity, and empowering grassroots democratic movements

Tech/SaaS Bench Candidate

2021

Visiting Faculty

2023

Excited to announce that I'll be joining Harbor Space University as a visiting faculty member! I'll be teaching two courses: "Product Design for Impact" and "Alternative Financing Models vs. Traditional Venture Capital Funding." Thrilled to contribute to the educational journey of ambitious students and empower them with skills, knowledge, and a fresh perspective. https://harbour.space/faculty/Susan-Akbarpour

Board Chair

2021

Member Board of Directors

2020