Analysts evaluate business plans, perform competitive analysis, test financial assumptions, and engage in deal due diligence. Analysts witness the venture funding process from beginning-to-end, coached by investors. They get broad exposure to the active tech startup scene in Los Angeles and deal directly with the founders, CEOs, and investors as TCA Los Angeles evaluates hundreds of new startups each year.
Meet our Analysts
Vishnu Amaram
Vishnu Amaram Vishnu Amaram is currently a PhD Candidate at City of Hope Medical Center, ranked as the top cancer hospital and research center in the west coast by US News. He holds a prestigious pre-doctoral fellowship from American Heart Association (AHA) to conduct his doctoral research. He has a strong background in bio-medical research with experience in clinical diagnostics and oligonucleotide therapeutics research. In addition to research, he is passionate about the growth and development of biotech start-up companies. He provided successful marketing and business development strategies for a home testing diagnostic kits manufacturing company and a pre-clinical contract research organization. Vishnu is looking to hone his business skills through the TCA Volunteer Analyst Program to transition into a venture capital. Vishnu holds a BS in Chemistry from Sri Krishnadevaraya University and a MS in Biochemistry from JIPMER, India.
Vishnu@techcoastangels.la
Grace Hancock
Grace Hancock is a PhD candidate at UCLA and a New Ventures Fellow at their Technology Development Group. As a fellow, she has worked with a number of teams pitching their pharmaceutical and medical device technologies. Assessing the technology at a molecular level, prioritizing its indications, and performing due diligence are among the responsibilities that have led to her interest in entrepreneurship and venture capital. In the laboratory, she has over 8 years of experience in molecular biology including specialties in stem cell biology, CRISPR gene editing, human reproduction and development. She hopes to combine her expertise in molecular biology with an interest in business development towards a career advancing technologies in the healthcare, biotechnology, and other industries.
Grace@techcoastangels.la
Meera Ramakrishnan
Meera Ramakrishnan is a recent graduate of the California Institute of Technology, where she studied Mechanical Engineering and Business, Economics, and Management. While at Caltech, she started and developed a diabetes application to help physicians manage diabetic patients more efficiently and effectively. Her career interests include entrepreneurship, strategy (M&A), and venture capital investing; Meera hopes to combine her business and engineering backgrounds to create and commercialize innovative solutions globally. Having been admitted to Harvard Business School in 2018 through the 2+2 program, Meera will be attending HBS in 2022.
Meera@techcoastangels.la
Whitney Sun
Whitney Sun has a diverse background working in finance, strategy, and marketing roles across the retail and entertainment industries. She is currently pursuing an MBA degree at UCLA Anderson, focusing on Entrepreneurship and Marketing. As part of her entrepreneurial endeavors, she is also working on a startup idea in the consumer goods subscription space. Whitney loves learning about the LA startup scene and enjoys connecting over new ideas - so feel free to reach out!
whitney@techcoastangels.la
Mira Boora
Mira Boora is currently an MBA candidate at the UCLA Anderson School of Management. She is pursuing her MBA with a specialization in technology and global management. She has worked in the financial technology industry for the last nine years in relationship management and sales roles, most recently as a sales engineer at a payments company while also running a small e-commerce company on the side. She has worked in Vancouver, London, Toronto, Sydney, and San Francisco. Her career interests include product management, entrepreneurship, and to learn more about angel investing.
mira@techcoastangels.la
Yue Wang
Yue Wang is currently an MBA candidate at UCLA Anderson. Prior to joining UCLA, she has gained broad experience in market research, statistics, and M&A. She views herself as a growth-driven professional and she possesses a successful track record of continuous process improvement and business growth with data-driven solutions. Yue is good at building great work relationships with culturally diverse, and cross-functional teams. She holds Masters’ degrees in Environmental Engineering and Statistics.
yue@techcoastangels.la
Joe Labes
Joe Labes is a first year UCLA Anderson MBA student. Prior to his MBA, Joe spent 4 years consulting at ZS Associates where he specialized in go-to-market, growth, and commercialization strategy for biotech companies. Joe also co-founded Sake High!, a canned sake brand out of LA, that will be launching this summer. Joe is active in the LA start-up community and has helped many companies strategize and execute their funding initiatives.
joe@techcoastangels.la