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Chris Joannou ๐Ÿ’Ž

VP - Ecosystem Growth at Draper University with extensive experience in startups and venture capital

Chris Joannou is the Vice President of Ecosystem Growth at Draper University, a role he has held since February 2023. In this position, he focuses on global business development and partnerships, contributing to the university's mission of fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in Silicon Valley.123

Before joining Draper University, Joannou served as the Head of Marketing (International) at Draper Startup House, which is known for providing a global network for entrepreneurs. He has a diverse background in corporate innovation, B2B business development, brand strategy, and design, accumulating over 11 years of experience in the startup and venture capital space.123

In addition to his role at Draper University, Joannou is an investor at Startup Grind and Bevy, and he is the founder of DreamPushers, a community-focused initiative aimed at building a lifestyle brand in the crypto space. His work includes mentoring startups and helping brands scale their communities.12

Highlights

Aug 23ย ยทย linkedin

One of the core ethos that all Draper Ecosystem funds share is backing moonshots. Why? Because they have a ceiling that goes beyond what we can predict. We analyzed how one of Tim Draperโ€™s early-stage investments has impacted the startup ecosystem. twitchTV (formerly known as JustinTV) began as a 'lifecasting' experiment. It has since transformed into an eSports empire - revolutionizing the entertainment industry.

Twitch.tv has 3 key impacts on the startup ecosystem:

Creator empowerment: creating new ways for people to generate revenue from content creation.

eSports Acceleration: supporting the professionalization of eSports. People can now viably make a living as a professional gamer

Startup Ecosystem Giants: The original founders now play an integral role in Silicon Valley Venture Capital, investing in the next generation of startups in addition to building more innovative companies of their own

Join me as we delve into the captivating journey of TwitchTV. Exploring its humble origins, explosive growth, and enduring legacy in the startup ecosystem.

โ€” At Draper University and the Draper Venture Network - we are big believers in Gaming. If you want to learn more about how we can help you accelerate your gaming startups letโ€™s chat.

Justin Kan

Aug 9ย ยทย linkedin

DREAMPUSHERS Podcast Alert! ๐Ÿ“Ÿ ๐Ÿ’ฅ โ†’ The Future of Entertainment with Mary Spio (CEEK VR INC) - Aerospace Engineer turned Metaverse founder! โ†’ Proudly presented by Draper University and EtherMail

In this episode of DREAMPUSHERS, host Chris welcomes Mary Spio, the visionary behind CEEK, for an enlightening discussion on her remarkable journey from aerospace engineering to revolutionizing the entertainment industry. Mary shares insights into her upbringing, influenced by her entrepreneurial mother and attorney father, and her unconventional path through the Air Force and academia.

The conversation delves into the inception of CEEK, a platform at the intersection of virtual reality (VR) and blockchain, providing immersive experiences for concerts, sports, education, and more. The episode explores how CEEK's unique approach, blending Mary's expertise in satellite technology and streaming with a focus on everyday experiences, has positioned it at the forefront of the evolving landscape of VR, blockchain, and the future of digital content consumption.

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Related Questions

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Chris Joannou ๐Ÿ’Ž
Chris Joannou ๐Ÿ’Ž, photo 1
Chris Joannou ๐Ÿ’Ž, photo 2
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Experience

VP - Ecosystem Growth at Draper University, February 2023 - Present
Investor at Bevy, March 2021 - Present; Investor & Startup Ambassador at LawAdvisor Ventures, November 2015 - Present; Mentor at SOSV MOX, April 2020 - Present; Investor at Startup Grind, 2012 - Prese at DreamPushers, January 2023 - Present

Education

Advanced Diploma in Graphic Arts from Australian Academy of Design; Multimedia - Business / Marketing, Web design, digital, audio, video, online marketing, online business from Swinburne University of

Location

San Mateo, California, United States