Dean Kakridas is a seasoned business development leader who excels at market development, product and business strategy, partnerships, and client services. He has a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering and information systems from Northeastern University and has pursued a master's in business and entrepreneurship from Boston University. Dean Kakridas has held multiple strategic positions, including Managing Director, Texas, at Fresh Consulting, where he helps leaders create better futures through design; he has served as a mentor and judge at MassChallenge, the SXSW Platinum Connection Mentor, and an SXSW Advisory Board member; and he has worked as the Head of Business Development and Partnerships at Star, Managing Director, Strategy & Innovation at Ziba Design, and Founding Partner and Managing Director at International Accelerator.

As a strategic advisor, he has influenced Outbox Inc and nineten innovation, LLC. His resume also includes VP Business Development North America at Opera Software and Director, Business Development at frog design. He has excellent leadership and coaching skills, having inspired and coached many others in achieving great outcomes. He is a firm believer in collaboration, making him a great collaborator and generating successful partnerships. He has a keen interest in start-ups and early-stage acceleration, making him a strategic asset to many companies.