Meet the latest additions to the Pi Labs team
After the successful close of Pi Labs Fund III in early-2022 and in preparation for our ambitious goals in 2023 and beyond, we have created an additional four roles. A warm welcome to Michelle (Investment Manager), John (Portfolio Associate), Regan (Programme Associate) and Juliet (Investment Analyst) who have all joined the team in recent months.
Michelle Wilk, Investment Manager
What does your role at Pi Labs entail?
My role is to invest in the most promising pre-seed to Series A startups on behalf of the fund — everything from finding them, to analysing their business models, conducting due diligence and negotiating deal terms. Post-investment, my role is to manage our investments by supporting our portfolio founders with financial and commercial decisions. I have a particular passion for consumer, so my role at Pi Labs is also to continue expanding the types of startups we invest in, in line with our exciting new rebrand.
What were you doing before you joined Pi Labs?
Before joining Pi Labs, I was an Investor at Founders Factory, leading their investments with corporate partners L’Oreal, M&S and Reckitt Benckiser, across both consumer and B2B. I’ve also worked as a Growth Investor at BGF, where I focused on investing into later-stage, UK SMEs. I first started my career at Goldman Sachs in their Investment Banking Division, covering TMT and Consumer deals, working on transactions for large clients such as SoftBank. I love the excitement of early-stage venture investing — meeting brilliant founders and getting a small glimpse into the future they’re building.
Do you have any advice for anyone looking to get into the VC world?
The industry is very open and friendly (and used to cold emails!) so don’t be afraid to reach out and build connections with funds you’re interested in. There’s no one path into VC — with Investors ranging from ex-founders, to ex-financiers to ex-operators, with everyone bringing a unique skillset.
Reading, watching, or listening to anything good?
Watching: L’Agence — perfect for daydreaming about Parisian apartments, while The Great Pottery Throw Down is good for unwinding to something creative after a busy day.
Reading: ‘Shoe Dog’ by Phil Knight — the story behind how Nike was built, written by the founder.
Listening: Elizabeth Day’s ‘How To Fail’ — a podcast celebrating everything that hasn’t gone right (from the world’s most successful).
What do you do to relax and create time for yourself?
I love exploring new places, and recently came back from a trip to India where I went camel riding in the desert near Pushkar and hot air ballooning just outside Jaipur. I also spent a month working from Paris last year, which continues to be one of my favourite cities. My weekends often involve a reformer pilates or spin class with a friend, followed by catching-up over brunch or dinner.
John Tuazon, Portfolio Associate
What does your role at Pi Labs entail?
My primary responsibility is to manage the data collection process from our growing portfolio and translate that data into information for the wider team, investors, and key stakeholders. The data insights from my work will provide valuable input to our investment decision-making process, increase the depth of our research, inform fundraising strategies, and support the finance team’s ability to report accurate and timely information to stakeholders. My role will also be critical in strengthening our ESG reporting capabilities. Another aspect of my role is supporting the Investment Team and our portfolio companies.
What were you doing before you joined Pi Labs?
I have spent my entire career in the professional services sector, working recently as an Audit Manager in MHA MacIntyre Hudson, one of the largest accountancy firms in the United Kingdom. I’ve also worked in a similar role in other accountancy firms across the globe — BDO and Grant Thornton in London, UK, BDO in Houston, Texas and KPMG in Makati, Philippines.
Do you have any advice for anyone looking to get into the VC world?
Moving from an entirely different industry to venture capital, I would say that having a growth mindset is critical especially in the first few months into a new role. You must be willing to learn, unlearn and relearn to determine how your skillset will fit in the spectrum of the multi-disciplinary world of VC. It’s also helpful to proactively engage in the wider ecosystem as this exposure will provide valuable insights about the VC firm’s culture and how it operates.
Reading, watching, or listening to anything good?
Reading: I mainly read non-fiction and any material related to history. I’m currently reading Empireland: How Imperialism Has Shaped Modern Britain by Sathnam Sanghera.
Listening: Recently, I’ve started listening to the Diary of a CEO by Steven Bartlett based on recommendations within our team. The episodes are really insightful and is a perfect way to spend the commute time in London!
Watching: As a history enthusiast, I’m keen on watching period series. One recent one that I’ve seen is Medici: Masters of Florence. It’s about the powerful House of Medici and how they shaped the former republic of Florence during the Renaissance Period.
What do you do to relax and create time for yourself?
Whenever I want to clear my mind and refocus, I normally go for a walk around the parks in my area or if I have more time, I will do long walks around London. I’m also into reading, playing video games and discovering new places to hang out in the city like cafes, restaurants, pubs, etc.
Regan Smith, Portfolio Associate
What does your role at Pi Labs entail?
My role has two main components to it as I am on the investment team and help run the Growth Programme at Pi Labs. I get to source, write deals and participate in the investment process for pre-seed-Series A deals. The second part to my job is leading a cohort of 7–8 companies for 16 weeks through a program that helps some of our earliest stage startups scale. I will work hand in hand with these companies to secure mentorship, guidance on their product and prepare them to continue to fundraise for their next round. I love that this role is so dynamic!
What were you doing before you joined Pi Labs?
Before Pi Labs, I was the Chief of Staff at a company called Morrow. We ran a global network of different investors, mainly accelerators and venture builders. I love being in the startup industry and being in a support role to so many unique individuals and companies as they grow.
Do you have any advice for anyone looking to get into the VC world?
I was never focused on “getting into VC” per se. However, I find myself here because I have a genuine interest in being a part of the building process of different companies. I am learning that to be in VC you have to have good judgment, which means lots of exposure. If you can attend events, talk with founders and find yourself immersed in the industry in any capacity I think you will find VC a great career path to look forward to.
Reading, watching, or listening to anything good?
Reading: I just finished Crying at H Mart and loved it. I just started a new book “ A Bit of a Stretch — The Diaries of a Prisoner” recommended by a Pi Labs colleague after sharing my interest in prison reform!
Watching: The Chosen- a historical drama based on the stories of Jesus Christ and His disciples.
Listening:The Twenty Minute VC and a16z podcast for everyday work related learning; Huberman Lab and The Place We Find Ourselves for personal development learning.
What do you do to relax and create time for yourself?
I love being outside. Anytime I can get out for a bike ride, run or walk in the park or to the alps for a hike/ skiing, I will. Otherwise, I hosting dinner parties, seeing a show, volunteering or journaling and reading gives me joy!!
Juliet Kerr, Investment Analyst
What does your role at Pi Labs entail?
I’m part of the investment team, so I help find new potential deals — both direct investments and for Pi Labs’ Growth Programme — as well as being involved in live deals and supporting in managing portfolio companies. In practice, this means meeting and speaking to many founders and supporting in our due diligence process.
What were you doing before you joined Pi Labs?
Before joining Pi Labs, I was working in the investment strategy and research department of a real estate investment company. Supporting investments across sectors and geographies, I was able to deep-dive into real estate research, as well as explore topical issues such as the future of work. Prior to this, I was completing a master’s at Cambridge’s Land Economy department, which allowed me to dig into cities (and the built environment more generally) from a multi-disciplinary approach.
Do you have any advice for anyone looking to get into the VC world?
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t feel you have the right background — there are many ways into VC and having a range of experiences and insights is what makes a good team. Although it’s daunting, having a different path may mean you are uniquely positioned to bring a new perspective.
Immersing yourself into the start-up/VC world goes a long way (there are so many good podcasts, books, etc.), but above all, enthusiasm, willingness to learn, and curiosity are key.
Reading, watching, or listening to anything good?
Reading: You can find me reading any book about cities, some of my favourites are Ed Glaeser’s Triumph of the City, Stuart Hodkinson’s Safe as Houses, and Rowan Moore’s Why We Build
Watching: A recent good (though heavy) watch has been Dopesick about the opioid crisis in the US, even better if you watch it after reading Patrick Radden Keefe’s Empire of Pain
Listening: Grace Beverley’s Working Hard to Hardly Working, as well as the NYT’s The Daily, or the Guardian’s Today in Focus
What do you do to relax and create time for yourself?
I love trying new coffee shops, going for a walk with a podcast, or taking a spin class. I’m always up for travelling — one of my recent favourite trips was renting a tinyhouse in Aarhus, Denmark.
Interested in joining our team? Keep an eye on our careers page for updates on new and open roles 💼
