Rick Desai is a seasoned investor and entrepreneur with expertise in building brands, investing, and teaching entrepreneurship. He is a Partner at Listen Ventures, where he invests in innovative startups and supports founders in realizing their vision. Rick is also an Adjunct Professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, where he teaches students how to navigate the uncertain landscape of entrepreneurship.

Before joining Listen Ventures, Rick was the Co-founder and Managing Partner at Dashfire, a startup studio that focused on building, launching, and selling startups. He is also a former Private Equity Associate at Madison Dearborn Partners and Investment Banking/Leveraged Finance Analyst at Lehman Brothers.

Rick's passion for entrepreneurship was sparked during his time as a William J. Clinton Fellow at SAATH, where he learned from micro-entrepreneurs in India. Since then, Rick has dedicated his career to supporting early-stage startups and helping entrepreneurs mitigate risks.

In addition to his work, Rick is a graduate of Georgetown University and Detroit Country Day.