Company: Sputnik ATX, Austin TX
Nomination Submitted by: Profile Advisors
Company Description: Sputnik ATX VC’s 13-week accelerator teaches startups how to sell and gain traction. They help founders reach their full potential by creating an ecosystem to attract hard-working nerds, connecting them with investors, and training them for success. They have an internal rate of return pf 70% and 65+ investments, with the majority of the companies they invest in being female or minority led.
Nomination Category: Individual Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Mentor of Coach of the Year - Finance
 Nomination Title: Dr. Oksana Malysheva
- Briefly describe the nominated individual: history and past performance (up to 200 words):
Total 191 words used.
Dr. Oksana Malysheva is an investor, entrepreneur, and business executive based in Austin, TX. She is the Co-founder, Managing Partner, and CEO of Sputnik ATX VC, a venture capital firm that is addicted to identifying overlooked talent, funding them, training them and connecting them with opportunity.
Oksana has built a reputation as a savvy investor and entrepreneurial leader, evidenced by the firm's track record of successful investments and unbiased investment process with the majority of their portfolio companies being women or minority-led. Her success and impact on the finance space led to her being named to the Forbes Women 50 Over 50 list.
Her passion for entrepreneurship and innovation stems from her time at McKinsey advising Fortune 50 firms, and being on the marketing team that brought Motorola to its peak with the RAZR cell phone. With a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Malysheva brings a unique perspective to the world of venture capital. Her journey to the United States from Ukraine reflects her determination and ability to overcome obstacles, which has been instrumental in helping her navigate the constantly changing landscape of the startup world.
- Outline the nominee's achievements since July 1 2022 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 250 words):
Total 250 words used.
Oksana mentors all portfolio companies personally, even after they have finished the mandatory 13-week training program that accompanies the firm’s investment. With her guidance, founders grow their businesses at extremely impressive rates in comparison to the average early-stage startup. The most notable accomplishments from the last year include:
- Nitex - crossed $130M GMV; major fashion brands like Zara and Ralph Lauren are clients
- Productable - hit $5M ARR; they help corporations and gov innovation arms operate more efficiently
- Shmoody - about to cross 1 million users and launched their B2B university program this year with TX State
- MAerospace - crossed $3mm in 2023, is EBITDA positive and projects $8mm this year.
In addition to mentoring her portfolio companies, Oksana also holds open office hours throughout the week where any founder from around the world can schedule time to discuss their goals and get advice from her. This speaks to her commitment to reimagining the world of venture capital and opening the doors to all founders, not just the ones with ivy league degrees.
In light of the ongoing Ukraine and Russia war, Oksana has also doubled down on her commitment to supporting budding venture ecosystems outside of Austin. Having originally been from Kyiv, Oksana was hearing first person accounts of founders and small businesses trying to keep their startups going amid the turmoil. This inspired her to open the Sputnik offices up to visiting Ukrainian founders and non-profits who were trying to provide opportunities for these entrepreneurs in the US.
- Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
Total 82 words used.
- Forbes 50 Over 50 List - speaks to Oksana’s impact in the finance space which at its core is about her mentorship to startups through her role at Sputnik ATX VC.
- Venture Capital Journal Profile of Sputnik ATX VC - highlights Oksana and her co-founders mission behind the firm and details the experience of two specific founders that Oksana has mentored
- Sputnik cohort reviews offer first hand accounts of how influential the Oksana and her firm have been to their portfolio companies
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes, explaining the achievements since July 1, 2022 of the nominated woman, OR written answers to the questions? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video. If you are submitting written answers to the questions for this category, provide them in the spaces below:
- Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant. If possible compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the nominee's past performance (up to 250 words):
Total 101 words used.
Many other accelerator programs for early-stage founders have predatory practices such as charging entrance fees to join their program, having non-founder friendly deal terms, and not meeting their promise of mentorship due to the high volume of startups they invest in.
Oksana was very deliberate when founding Sputnik ATX VC to structure their training program so that her firm only makes money if the portfolio company does. The firm does not overextend themselves and instead takes small cohorts in order to follow through on the personalized mentorship they promise. This speaks to her true commitment and belief in her mentorship skills.
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