Pei Zou

About Pei Zou

I am a scientist by training, with deep background and broad exposure in physical science-based deep and hard technologies. I have talent and expertise in understanding customer needs and the \"mechanism\" behind the needs, and in structuring solutions to meet the needs. This may sound quite generic, but for more than two decades, this has enabled me to raise and invest hundreds of millions of venture capital, advise billions of private equity and M&A transactions, support (and many times co-build) portfolio companies, create value for A-listed consulting clients, complete large volumes of commodities shipments, and, in a corporate environment, run business units, develop strategies and commercialize new technologies. Intense customer focus by a trained scientist brain is who I am and what I do.In such intense customer focus, I don\'t just \"find out\" what the customer needs. I learn and thoroughly understand customer\'s technologies, processes, operations, economics and their customers, be it investors, investees, suppliers or clients. I listen immersively and actively. I analyze with first principles and sound logic. I validate holistically and systematically. Much the same way I approach scientific research. Then I structure, organize and implement solutions to address these needs, much like engineering a technical solution. Over the years this approach has evolved into complete systems around which businesses are effectively run.I continue to learn and seek opportunities, and I respectfully offer all my experiences, expertise, talents, networks and resources to serve your needs.

Experience

1. Founder, Managing Partner

   Elate Partners, Llc

   Jul 2011 — Present

   Elate Partners, LLC was founded in 2011 as a vehicle for nascent Chinese outbound investment at the time. Through several financial, economic and geopolitical cycles, we are today a venture capital, private equity, commodities trading and strategic consulting firm with diverse sources of capital, deal flow and client base. Venture investments have been in emerging deep and hard tech, life sciences, green tech and manufacturing; private equity and M&A advisories have covered technology, manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, defense, finance, infrastructure, consumer, real estate, entertainment and natural resources; delivered physical commodities have included crude oil, fuel, LNG, coal, certain specialty metals, soy beans and animal proteins; consulting practices have served Series B startups through Fortune 500 technology companies in a variety of geographies and roles. Compared to typical venture and private equity firms, we raise funds from a broader spectrum of sources, support portfolio companies in more meaningful ways, exit through more channels more quickly, and have more risk mitigation structures designed and built into business models. Compared to typical management consulting offerings, we are able to provide more customized and effective services because of our intense customer focus- I founded and grew the firm to what it is today- I have led the creation and execution of the firm\'s strategies through various cycles- I have built and led teams to execute full investment processes from origination to liquidity- I have built and led teams and partners to finance, transact and deliver commodities- I have supported board and management of portfolio companies,\"co-building\" many of them- I have procured and served diverse consulting clients- I have built and maintained wide networks of relationships.

Education

• Southeast University

  Bachelor of Science - BS, Electrical and Electronics Engineering

  1985 — 1990

• Carnegie Mellon University

  Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Electrical and Computer Engineering

  1995 — 1999

• Carnegie Mellon University

  Master of Science - MS, Electrical and Computer Engineering

  1993 — 1995