Christopher Drake

Christopher Drake is a seasoned professional with a diverse background spanning business, management, engineering, and entrepreneurship. Currently serving as an Operations Manager at Arowana & Co, an investment group focused on startups, scale-ups, and mature businesses in education, food, renewables, and fintech sectors. His entrepreneurial journey began during his mechanical engineering studies with the founding of uCrack IFix, an innovative smartphone repair business that expanded into importing phone parts and accessories globally. This venture paved the way for his involvement in eCommerce consulting, where he later developed Elastice, a dynamic pricing engine for online stores.

An active figure in the startup ecosystem, Christopher mentors at River City Labs and iLab Accelerator, offering guidance to early-stage startups. With a wealth of experience in startup accelerator programs, he imparts invaluable insights on achieving product-market fit and fostering growth. His expertise extends to conducting workshops on building prototypes using accessible tools, culminating in the creation of a Prototype Stack featuring essential resources for burgeoning businesses. Notably, Christopher has successfully co-founded and launched various products, including KanyeText.com, Retailr, Car Values, AlexaHunt.com, and Lisa Engine, each catering to distinct market needs.

Educationally, Christopher pursued studies in Business Management at Queensland University of Technology, Mechanical Engineering at The University of Queensland, and an Advanced Diploma in Mechanical Engineering at TAFE Queensland Brisbane. His professional journey includes roles such as Professional Development Manager at EdventureCo, General Manager at EnrolmentPay, and various leadership positions within startup initiatives, highlighting his proficiency in driving organizational success through strategic planning and innovation.