Bridge Angel Investors are a group of passionate and committed investors who collaborate to fund local innovation. We qualify, fund, mentor and leverage our networks on behalf of our portfolio companies to provide a win-win opportunity for all.
Bridge Angel Investors (BAI) or BRIDGE was founded in 2017 to bring together resources, innovation, and dollars to growing enterprises (hence the acronym BRIDGE) in the Sarasota-Bradenton Area. We are an ever growing group of investor members in Sarasota with a focus on investing in early-stage companies based in Florida typically in syndication with other Florida-based angel investor groups. However, we broaden our reach throughout the US through trusted member and partner referrals. BRIDGE has joined forces with the Adi Dassler International Family Office (ADIFO) to invest in the leAD Sports & Health Tech Partners, the leading global sports and health tech investment ecosystem, inspired by Adi Dassler (founder of Adidas). Adi Dassler’s grandsons (Horst Bente and Klaus Bente) created leAD Sports, LTD (“leAD”) which consists of a group of shareholders dedicated to the acceleration of sports, health and fitness technologies for the benefit of entrepreneurs, clients of ADIFO, and ADIDAS. Bridge’s direct investment in leAD will facilitate access to a global network of investment opportunities.
Managing Team
Our Managing Team includes our Executive Director Kim Miele, three specialists and five board member/investors.
Executive Director
Kim Miele
Kim Miele is a lifelong connector. Bringing together people and ideas is her passion, whether through her myriad of roles as past Executive Director of the Gulf Coast CEO Forum, the planning of large-scale events for Harvard Medical School, or as a consultant for Startfast Venture Accelerator. She is a results-oriented, high-energy leader with experience developing and managing strategic partnerships, communications strategy, community relations initiatives, conferences, and special events. In her personal time, Kim is dedicated to putting her gift of connection to good use by serving the Sarasota/Bradenton communities.
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Due Diligence Director
Business Administrator
Analyst
Wendi Chapman, Board Member/Investor
● Chair, Sarasota 01 Tiger 21
● Past Executive Director BRIDGE Angel Investors
● Director of Operations Brenn Foundation
● Vice President of Admin/Finance, General Counsel for Omeza, LLC
Paul Harder, Board Member/Investor
● CEO, Owner, Founder with three successful exits in three different verticals.
● To Ford Motor Company after an 11-year CAGAR of over 20% in the automotive parts business.
● To Cott a public beverage company after an EBITDA growth from $28 to $84 million in four years.
·● PE with a software startup providing both a SAS option and full-service option to Healthcare Providers.
● Currently serving on private company boards and as advisor, mentor, coach and investor to both startups and fully operating companies.
Linda Jellison, Board Member/Investor
● Currently serving on Private Boards
● Founder/President/CEO LTC Engineering Associates
● Former Executive Director ManTech Real Time Systems Laboratory (MRSL)
● Thirty five years in the Scientific and Technical Engineering fields
Peter Offringa, Board Member/Investor
● Technology leader specializing in building large-scale software infrastructure for major Internet companies
● Prior CTO/VP Engineering roles at CBS Interactive, CNET, Comcast, Zoosk, Boatsetter
● Currently serving in advisory board roles for local start-ups.
● Active blogger about software company investing.
Rachel West, Board Member/Investor
● Co-Founder, InfoAlliance LLC
● Previous President, Boatsetter, technology and data-driven on-demand boating
● Digital, Cloud, Big Data Transformation Strategy Advisor, Dell Technologies
● Head of Data Management, Financial Service Practices, EMC Consulting
Member Investors
Members of Bridge Angel Investors are a group of committed investors who help pick and fund portfolio companies, provide mentoring and leverage their networks to help portfolio companies be successful.
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Kumar Buvanendaran
● True entrepreneur to the core with a passion is to take start-up prospects and turn them into powerhouse corporations.
● Spent the last 30 years building an ever-growing portfolio showcasing his passion, transforming small businesses into diverse industries such as architecture/engineering, technology, and business consulting.
● Grew a $2 million Architecture & Engineering company into $75 million in less than 15 years and exited -- turned a Technology firm that had a negative profit and increased it by 1,500% in 5 years and exited.
● Built an intentional and sustainable operations embodying an inclusive work culture to optimize performance.
● His Motto: “Success is no accident.”
Ben Curren
● Entrepreneur and product leader who is passionate about using my technical skills to build great businesses, products and agile engineering teams.
● Founder and CEO of Green Bits, fastest growing POS / inventory / compliance system for the legal cannabis industry; processing over 3B / year GMV; bootstrap / self-funded for 3 years; raised over 18M from top tier investors (Tiger Global)
● Founder and CTO of Outright.com; raised $11M from top tier Angels and VC (Sequoia, Marc Andreessen, Ben Horowitz, FirstRound Capital, Shasta Ventures, Softech VC); growing the company to 12 engineers / 35 employees; acquiring over 800,000 small business customers
Patrick Del Medico
● 30+ years of documented success in sales, marketing, training, product development and performance management
● Executive leadership roles both nationally and internationally
● Strategic business planning for large Fortune 500 Companies ranging from Proctor & Gamble, Stryker Corporation and Baxter Healthcare to start-up entities to family-owned businesses.
● Executive Partner | COO for Florida Region, Shepherd Insurance
● Currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Gulf Coast CEO Forum as well as USF Risk Management & Insurance Industry Board and on the Advisory Board for Cardinal Mooney High School
Sean Dotson
● Automation and robotics executive with 30 years of experience scaling engineering-driven businesses, leading M&A, and advising industrial innovators.
● Founder and former CEO of RND Automation, where he bootstrapped and scaled the company to $25M+, executed multiple acquisitions, and led a successful private equity exit. Remained on as CTO of the parent organization for 2 years.
● Advisor to PE/VC-backed industrial firms and OEMs; specializes in business development, engineering management, and operational turnarounds.
● Fractional CxO, board member, and investor with a track record of driving growth in automation, robotic, and packaging startups.
● Currently CEO of Elite Robotics & Automation. Nationwide firm specializing in robotics, material handling and warehouse logistics equipment and systems
William Dolan
● Growth-focused CEO with a record of transformative business, product, and technology leadership at diverse fintech and financial services companies
● Entrepreneurial executive who is an investor/advisor in promising fintech startups
● Proven ability to build/reinvent products and services that remove friction, create opportunity, and open markets
● Strategic and data-focused, with a history of creating and commercializing products, raising capital, guiding M&As, and accelerating growth
● Currently, as President of TAPP Engine, he is leading sales, fundraising, business development, and the banking division of an embedded finance solutions provider in the WealthTech and digital banking space
William Foster
● Retired; Wells Fargo Securities 2016 as Senior VP of Investments
● During his tenure Wells Fargo acquired Wachovia, merged in Prudential Securities, and acquired Foster Brothers and Webber Co.
● As an active investor, owns various public stocks, privately held companies and operates four real-estate LLC’s that invest in commercial buildings in Northwest Ohio and Sarasota Florida.
● Currently serves on multiple boards in many different capacities (Chair, Committee Chair, Managing Member, Committee Member, Advisory)
Paul Galioto
● Entrepreneur, Financial and Business Advisor
● Began his career as an Entrepreneur by starting Zeller Electric of Buffalo, a distributor of industrial automation equipment. Zeller was named to the INC Magazine 500 Fastest Growing Companies in 1995.
● In 2007, he sold his stake in Zeller and co-founded PortoVino, where he served as a financial and strategic advisor, as well as a mentor.
● Founder and CEO of Wise Old Man Business Consultants, specializing in strategic growth and acquisitions for privately owned small to mid-sized companies.
Scott Hearne
● Retired, Co-Founder of Longmeadow Holdings LLC. A multifamily development and real estate firm. Exited 2022.
● Co-Founder and CEO of engineering, development and construction firm located in the Denver Colorado area.
● Engineering Manager for a multinational engineering and construction firm (Bechtel Corp.) with regional and overseas assignments
Justin Hertz
● Born and raised in Sarasota, FL
● Co-Founder, Owner and Operator of www.LiquidBottles.com or Liquid Bottles LLC
● Investor in Loaded Cannon Distillery in Lakewood Ranch
Allen Johnson
● Member and Sponsor of Atlanta Technology Angels 2012-2016
● Charter member of NBAI, an Atlanta based Angel Group formed in 1995
● Founding Partner of the Adi Dassler Family Office, Director of Wealth Manager, Investment Advisor Representative Appolon Wealth
James Keefe
● Broad executive experience across industries as diverse as biotechnology, investment management, academia, non-profit, as well as entertainment/media
● Ability to help entrepreneurs, business owners, and investors capture the power of strategic innovation driven by unique insights to push forward new ideas across a range of sectors
● International exposure (lived and traveled to over 86 countries) highlighted the importance of relationships and truly connecting with individuals, maintaining a curiosity and dream for something unique and different to help others in their journey.
David Leland
● “A technology innovator, I continually canvass the market for opportunities to fill in the white space.
● My niche? Creating solutions that help companies become more efficient, compliant, and safe. While hidden from the customer, these foundational areas are vital to an organization’s survival and growth.
● A twice-over entrepreneur, I’ve been blessed to launch, grow, and exit two successful tech start-ups that have filled these needs. With teamwork, grit, and divine help, we’ve wildly exceeded customer expectations and made a positive impact along the way.”
Chip Moll
● Vice President, Corporate Development with MTD Products.
● Founded in 1932, MTD Products is a leader in outdoor power equipment headquartered near Cleveland, Ohio.
● Our engineering expertise and state-of-the-art facilities around the world fuel MTD’s reputation for innovation and award-winning products
David Moll
● Managing Director of InField Capital. Early Stage venture capital focused on Clean Technologies for the Transportation Industry, with a focus on Future Powertrain technologies.
● Vice President, Business Development of DataPlay, Inc.
● Director, National Account Management of MatchLogic
Travis Priest
● Entrepreneur in Residence at Vocap Investment Partners
● Serial entrepreneur with 3 successful SaaS startup exits
● Consults with Angel through Series B funded SaaS startups; board member; advisor
Alexander Ronzino
● A multi-entity founder with two exits and a background in Private Equity, Real Estate, Healthcare, and Technology - Alexander has served in the C-Suite in multiple capacities ranging from startups to firms as large as 3B.
● Co-Founder of Rework Capital which actively invests as well as provides management consultings services (Fractional CFO, Capital Strategy) to help those firms scale and achieve unicorn status
● Finance/MBA and Six Sigma Black Belt
Elizabeth Stamoulis
● Leads the firm's Intellectual Property Practice
● Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, Legal Counsel to the Board of Directors
● Ivy League Young Alumni Club, Dartmouth Representative
● Florida Trend’s Legal Elite, Up and Comer
● Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch, 2024
● Florida Super Lawyers, Rising Stars, 2017-2023
Curt Ware
● Seasoned Professional Real Estate Agent, Investor, and Developer with over 12 years of experience in Sarasota
● Background in entrepreneurship, marketing, and sales, he has successfully founded The Ware Group.
● Deeply passionate about giving back and actively donates to charities and special causes that support humanity.
Aaron Weikle
● Chief Executive Officer of ArganoMS3. Founded in 2009 MS3 provides high quality services to US Government agencies. MS3 helps the government transform business into a new era of enterprise using efficient computing and cost reductions through Open Source programs. We have supported a number of the largest government organizations over the past 7 years including entities like DISA, USCENTCOM and DoS.
● Senior SOA Lead and subject matter expert
● Senior Software Engineer and Applications Programmer
Houry Youssoufian
● Financial and accounting professional with over 25 years of relevant experience.
● Began her career as a biology researcher at MIT, contributing to the publication of several scientific articles in prestigious peer-reviewed journals.
● Later she, earned an MBA and became a CPA while working for an international public accounting firm.
● Focused on delivering strategic plans for growth and alliances while implementing operational efficiency for privately held, venture capital funded or publicly traded companies: I also have global experience leading finance departments of publicly held companies in the life sciences and medical devices industries.
● Experience in financial leadership roles, including internal and external financial reporting: implementation of accounting financial and operational systems: developing and implementing policies and procedures to improve systems and efficiencies: managing global shared services as well as developing and monitoring financial performance.
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