Elliott Parker is the CEO of Alloy Partners. He earned a B.S. in Finance from BYU and an M.B.A. from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. Elliott built his career in strategy consulting at Innosight, the firm founded by Clayton Christensen, where he helped dozens of Fortune 100 companies build and execute their innovation strategies.

Elliott joined his friends at High Alpha, the Indianapolis-based venture studio, to lead business design and corporate innovation. After years of building within the venture studio model, they spun the team out to bring their playbook to corporations, universities, and governments.

Elliott is the author of "The Illusion of Innovation: Escape 'Efficiency' and Capture Radical Progress," a book that highlights the opportunity for scaled organizations to unlock transformation through rapid experimentation.

A firm believer in the power of entrepreneurs to bring about meaningful innovation, Elliott is driven by this mission. A California native and avid surfer, he seizes any chance to ride some waves, finding that he does his best thinking out on the water. In 2022, he competed in the Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swim, placing in the top 10 for his age group.

Sophie Fix is the General Counsel and SVP Business Affairs at Alloy Partners. She began her legal career as an IP licensing associate but soon left "big law" in San Francisco for an in-house role at a public company in Chicago. Eventually, the allure of sunny California and new opportunities drew her back to the West Coast. Throughout her career, Sophie has been fortunate to work in roles that allow her to closely collaborate with operations. As the first General Counsel for three organizations, she has experienced the challenge and satisfaction of building the legal function from the ground up.

At Alloy Partners, Sophie is surrounded by incredibly smart, thoughtful, and driven colleagues. Together, they remove barriers and create opportunities for partners, founders, and communities, making it some of the most fulfilling work she has ever been a part of.

Working with the HAI team and partner organizations to build enduring centers of innovation and opportunity is the most fulfilling work Sophie can imagine. Growing up in rural Kansas, she experienced firsthand the lack of opportunity but was imbued with a strong work ethic. Helping launch startups and venture studios, especially in rural areas, reminds her of the profound impact this work can have on individuals, families, and regions.

In addition to her professional achievements, Sophie is also a creative talent. She wrote and illustrated a children's book about catching leprechauns, showcasing her ability to blend creativity with her legal expertise.

Lauren Kellum is the Chief of Staff at Alloy Partners. Lauren studied visual communications design and started her career at a small creative agency, focusing on brand, messaging, and UI design. Her curiosity in the growing Indianapolis tech scene led her to join a seed-stage B2B SaaS startup as its first designer. Over several years, Lauren supported the startup through scale, establishing new business operations across product design, product management, sales, marketing, and customer support..

Lauren's exposure to the venture studio model during a High Alpha Sprint Week revealed a pathway to support founders, enabling them to focus on critical growth factors. She joined the High Alpha team and, in 2020, spun out with Elliott to help launch Alloy Partners. In her role as Chief of Staff, Lauren supports the CEO's special projects, spanning culture, operations, and strategy. Often the "first in role" across various business areas, she excels at converting strategy into executed initiatives.

Lauren loves the opportunity to solve big, ambiguous challenges with an amazing team. Despite growth, the team has maintained a curious and optimistic approach to solving significant problems. They continuously seek improvement with each new challenge.

Lauren is a lover of music and especially enjoys live music. She attended her first concert at 6 and has since enjoyed more than 60 concerts across a wide range of genres.

Drew Beechler is VP of Marketing at Alloy Partners. He began his career in marketing at ExactTarget, which was later acquired by Salesforce. At Salesforce, Drew spent several years on the product marketing and content marketing teams. In 2015, he joined High Alpha Studio as part of the initial team, where he built and led the marketing function. Over seven years, Drew helped create the venture studio category and co-founded and launched over 35 different startups.

In 2022, Drew started his own company, Holder, a marketing automation platform for the web3 industry, as part of the High Alpha Studio portfolio. After spinning down Holder in the summer of 2024, Drew joined Alloy Partners to continue expanding the venture building category and help entrepreneurs and organizations tackle some of the world’s hardest growth challenges.

Drew is passionate about startups, creating new companies, and working with founders. He finds the journey of taking a startup from zero to one an incredible feat and loves the opportunity to do that every day.

Outside of work, Drew is an avid (yet slow) runner and loves spending time outdoors. He is also a musician and a fan of all things music.

Ryan Larcom is a Managing Director at Alloy Partners, where he thrives on turning bold ideas into reality. Partnering with corporate executives at the world’s leading organizations, Ryan co-creates advantaged startups through a consultative business design process, leading venture building teams and yielding 19 new startups since 2021.

As a designer by nature, Ryan is passionate about improving the world through thoughtfully designed business models, products, and experiences. His portfolio spans strategy, product design, and innovation at global, publicly-traded companies such as Honda, Cummins, and Allegion, as well as venture capital and startups. As one of the first employees of High Alpha, Ryan co-designed the playbook used to launch 50 companies over the past eight years, pioneering the venture studio model.

Ryan is deeply involved in philanthropic and nonprofit endeavors, serving on several startup boards and being recognized as an Indianapolis Business Journal’s “Forty under 40” honoree. He co-founded Collective Works, partnering with entrepreneurs and non-profits to launch sustainable for-profit/for-good businesses addressing social problems. He also serves on the Advisory Board of Sinapis, a faith-based accelerator for entrepreneurs in emerging countries.

Originally from Connecticut, Ryan holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees in mechanical engineering and industrial design from Rochester Institute of Technology. He now lives in Indianapolis with his wife and two children. In his spare time, Ryan enjoys homebrewing beer, restoring his home built in 1895, and was nationally ranked in fencing during college.

Nate Schmidt is the Managing Director, Go-to-Market at Alloy Partners. With two decades of experience as a startup founder, Nate has experienced the highs of acquisitions and the lows of heart-wrenching failures. Throughout his entrepreneurial journey, he always made time to give back to others who were earlier in their journey. Nate started the first accelerator in Alabama and later ran Techstars EnergyTech in Birmingham. In January 2024, he joined Alloy Partners to continue doing what he loves: helping founders tackle some of the world's most pressing issues.

At Alloy Partners, Nate thrives on getting his hands dirty and working directly with founders to bring their ideas to life. One of his top criteria when joining HAI was a healthy and collaborative culture, and the experience has exceeded his expectations. He is proud to be part of an incredible team, laser-focused on the mission of building great companies, and appreciates the leadership that allows him to work in his zone of genius.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Nate has some unique talents. He can ride a unicycle and, as a child, even played on a unicycle hockey team.

Mike Joslin is a Partner at 1842 Fund and Build Director at Alloy Partners. His career began at Best Buy’s corporate headquarters, where he worked in marketing, merchandising, and new business growth, igniting his passion for creating and launching new ventures.

While pursuing his MBA at Harvard Business School, Mike conducted independent research for the late HBS professor Clay Christensen on disruption in the telecom industry and interned at Innosight, an innovation consulting firm co-founded by Christensen. He later joined Innosight, further deepening his expertise in innovation and disruption.

Following his time at Innosight, Mike continued to pursue his passion for creating and investing in venture-backed startups. He launched tech-enabled startups from a Boston-based startup studio, established and led portfolio company support at a $15B+ AUM venture capital fund of funds, and incubated new internal ventures. Additionally, Mike established and managed the corporate venture capital program at Marriott International.

Mike loves creating opportunities for world-class entrepreneurs and startup employees to increase their odds of success. He finds great motivation in helping founders navigate the challenging journey of building a business and changing the trajectory for their ventures.

Outside of work, Mike is an avid snowboarder who enjoys hitting the slopes with his two young sons.

Ben Lewis is a serial entrepreneur, former Olympic athlete, and director of Alloy's OneHealth Studio. OneHealth Studio is a venture studio creating startups at the convergence of human health, animal health, and agriculture that was built in partnership with Elanco Animal Health, the State of Indiana, and other corporate partners.

Prior to Alloy, Ben was the co-founder of The One Health Company, the parent of FidoCure. Ben also co-founded and served as CEO of 4Vets — one of the largest B2B distributors of animal-health products in Brazil.

He earned an AB in Biology from Dartmouth College, studied veterinary medicine at University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, and received an MBA in Healthcare Administration from The Wharton School.

Joshua Stanley is the Managing Partner of Fieldbook Studio at Alloy Partners. His career began with various product, project, and program management roles at well-known e-commerce companies such as Zappos, 1-800 Contacts, and Backcountry.com, where he developed a strong foundation in product management, corporate strategy, and digital innovation. Joshua then co-founded and led Teamvvork, a digital product studio and consultancy based in Las Vegas, which led to its acquisition by RevUnit, a strategic digital firm in Northwest Arkansas.

At RevUnit, Joshua progressed through several key roles, from V.P. of Product to Chief Operating Officer, eventually becoming President. He played a crucial role in driving years of double-digit growth, earning cultural awards, and steering the company through a significant private equity transaction in 2019. Along the way, he also co-founded ZenSales, a software-as-a-service business that achieved rapid growth and was acquired in 2020.

Discovering his passion for building and scaling startups, Joshua co-founded Cartwheel Studio, pioneering the startup studio model in Northwest Arkansas. As CEO, he facilitated the launch of three technology companies. Additionally, he has been an active advisor and leader in various startups, including Onsen Towels, Handled.com, and Teesnap, all of which were acquired, contributing product development advice, digital expertise, and strategic vision.

In his current role at Alloy Partners, Joshua leverages his extensive experience to build and scale innovative technology companies in Arkansas. He enjoys the dynamic work of exploring new problems, designing potential solutions with teams, and advising change agents and founders on their journey to build new products and companies.

A man of diverse talents, Joshua won a freestyle rap competition in Salt Lake City while in college and was a finalist in the Utah Real Estate Challenge at the University of Utah.

Hunter Babcock is an Associate on the Build Team at Alloy Partners. He earned a B.S. in Entrepreneurial Management, Marketing, and Strategy from the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. His career began by leading Atland Ventures, the first independent student-run venture fund investing in Gen Z founders and trends. Following this, Hunter worked at Accenture, where he helped large corporations with digital transformation.

In 2021, Hunter joined Alloy Partners, drawn to its unique model of building startups. He thrives on identifying opportunities for startup creation that address some of society's most significant challenges. Hunter enjoys building the foundations of business models and rigorously testing and iterating on them through customer discovery. This role perfectly combines his experience in venture capital, strategy consulting, and startup building.

Outside of his professional life, Hunter writes a local newsletter sharing news and events in Denver with over 400 subscribers. He is also a competitive criterium and gravel cyclist, showcasing his passion for endurance sports. Additionally, Hunter has a knack for food eating contests and has completed multiple challenges, including the 29-scoop (8lb) "Lumber Jack" ice cream challenge.

Sandy Bacon is a Marketing & Sales Associate at Alloy Partners. With over twenty years of experience planning private events for various organizations, non-profits, and individuals, she joined the Alloy Partners team in March 2024 as an Events Specialist. When Sandy learned about the company’s goals, brand, and direction, she eagerly embraced the opportunity to help develop and align events that resonate with the company's vision.

Sandy loves the process of taking an end goal and deconstructing it to plan and organize an event. She finds great joy in delving into all the details, working hard, and ultimately bringing people together to enjoy the end product.

In her personal life, Sandy is a creative soul who has worn many hats. Over the years, she has hosted a public access TV show, sold handmade items in various stores, and currently teaches evening cooking classes at a local kitchen store. Her passion for creating and sharing her skills with others is evident in everything she does.

Nolan Bernard is the Portfolio & Network Director at Alloy Partners. He began his career in software at Salesforce shortly after their acquisition of ExactTarget. This experience provided Nolan with a deep understanding of what a top-tier SaaS sales engine looks like and offered him world-class training in GTM practices. Since then, he has helped shape sales and GTM strategy for several early to mid-stage SaaS companies, selling into a variety of industries.

Nolan loves working hand in hand with founders, recognizing the mental and emotional challenges they face. He is motivated by the opportunity to improve the lives of founders, particularly by helping them solve the puzzle of acquiring their earliest customers. He also enjoys the diverse nature of his work, introducing innovation and new products across different industries.

Outside of his professional life, Nolan has a strong enthusiasm for fitness and real estate.

Ibby Blum is the Lead Accountant on the Finance Team at Alloy Partners. Since graduating college, Ibby has always held accounting roles, beginning in manufacturing, then moving to healthcare, and finally finding her passion in venture building. She joined HAI in 2022, drawn by the company’s mission, values, and the incredible people who make HAI what it is. Experiencing the company’s growth and evolution firsthand has been a rewarding journey for her.

What Ibby loves most about her job is the diverse involvement it offers within the company. While back-office roles typically don't engage much with others, her position allows her to collaborate with various departments. She works on expense budgeting with operations and program leaders, prepares financials for the leadership team, coordinates with HR for payroll and benefits, and discusses SOWs, contractors, and fund management with legal. Although she doesn’t work directly with the partners, Ibby finds great satisfaction in knowing that her work supports the team in launching new companies.

Outside of her professional life, Ibby swam competitively for 10 years, and her team won the championship all 10 of those years. She has also peaked five 14ers (mountain peaks over 14,000 feet) and finds joy in sunrise and sunset, her favorite times of day.

Sarah Chumbley is a Senior Experience Designer at Alloy Partners. She began her career in the sports industry, holding a dual role at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar, where she focused on brand strategy and event marketing. Over time, her responsibilities expanded to include exhibit design and curation at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. However, her ultimate goal was always to transition into UX design, and in 2020, serendipity and the global pandemic led her to Alloy Partners.

Sarah loves her job for two main reasons: first, the opportunity to dive deep into completely new industries every few months and tackle weird, interesting problems waiting to be solved; second, the privilege of being surrounded by a team of the most intelligent, curious, and impressive individuals who continually inspire her to reach for more.

In addition to her professional work, Sarah occasionally moonlights as a face painter, showcasing her creative talents in a different medium.

Cate Mollett is the Director of Talent at Alloy Partners. She began her career in Human Resources, helping small companies establish their HR and recruiting processes from scratch. Cate discovered a passion for recruiting and eventually specialized in executive recruiting, gaining valuable experience at the corporate and enterprise level. She then led executive search efforts for a venture equity fund and their portfolio of B2B SaaS companies.

In 2021, Cate joined Alloy Partners, initially as a Senior Internal Recruiter before moving into Founder Talent. She played a pivotal role in establishing the founder recruiting playbook and processes, successfully matching dozens of founders with startup ideas.

The best part of Cate's job is spending time talking to incredibly smart and accomplished founders who are looking for their next challenge. She also enjoys learning about new industries and the niche problems that partners are looking to solve. Cate is motivated by the challenge of finding the ideal candidate for hard-to-fill roles.

As a military spouse, Cate faces the challenges of frequent relocations but has also enjoyed amazing travel opportunities to countries like Germany, Switzerland, Scotland, and Belgium.

Nathan Newburn is the Controller at Alloy Partners. He began his career in public accounting with Somerset CPAs (now CBIZ Somerset), where he specialized in assurance work, including audits and transaction advisory in the SaaS and PEO industries. After a brief stint with a large corporate in Indiana, Nathan joined Alloy Partners in 2021, eager to be part of an agile and innovative team.

Nathan loves the energy and inspiration drawn from working with like-minded individuals who strive to build new things. He appreciates the team's forward-thinking approach and responsiveness to change, creating a dynamic and exciting work environment.

Outside of his professional life, Nathan has had some interesting pre-professional jobs. In high school, he worked as a fire extinguisher technician, servicing the community’s fire extinguishers. A fun (and practical) fact from that time: if a fire extinguisher doesn’t work during a fire, it might be because the powder has settled at the bottom. Turning it upside down and banging it against something hard can help loosen the powder.

In college, Nathan beta tested the automatic brake assist features now present in most vehicles. While he wasn’t a crash test dummy, he enjoyed sitting behind a computer and being part of the testing process. These unique experiences have given Nathan a well-rounded perspective and an appreciation for innovation and problem-solving.

Philip Nuñez is an Analyst on the Build team at Fieldbook. He graduated in December 2024 from the University of Arkansas with a bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurship & Innovation and Supply Chain Management. During his academic journey, Philip led a team that designed an app for J.B. Hunt, pitched a marketing initiative for Walmart's Energy Transformation team, interned at Bass Pro and two startups, and gained international experience working for the Belize Tourism Board.

Philip’s diverse experiences have honed his ability to navigate complex projects and collaborate across teams. Bilingual in Spanish and English, he attributes his cultural fluency to growing up in a half-Hispanic, half-American household. His unique perspective fuels his curiosity and passion for building solutions that connect people and ideas.

Beyond his professional endeavors, Philip is drawn to ambitious personal challenges and community involvement. He plans to backpack the 276-mile Ozark Highlands Trail, showcasing his love for the outdoors. Known for his leadership as the "Parking Pastor," Philip built and led a parking team for his church's college ministry. A former athlete, he advanced to round three of five in his quest to join the U.S. Youth Olympic Soccer team. He also proudly placed third in his fifth-grade spelling bee (despite missing an "h" in "rhythm"), a lighthearted reminder of his resilience and drive for continuous improvement.

Julia Tofan is an Associate on the Build Team at Alloy Partners. She began her career at the Wesleyan Investments Office, where she gained a comprehensive view of the investable universe, spanning public equity, credit, and venture capital. This experience sparked her curiosity about the inner workings of the companies that investment managers choose to fund.

Seeking to understand the micro-level intricacies of building companies, Julia joined Techstars to work directly with pre-seed stage founders. There, she learned to be scrappy and resourceful, developing a deep passion for the earliest stages of a startup's life.

In 2021, Julia brought her enthusiasm for creativity and early-stage innovation to Alloy Partners. She thrives in an environment where the team shares her optimism and dedication to envisioning and building a better world. Julia loves the challenge of thinking creatively and collaboratively to bring new ideas to life.

Outside of her professional endeavors, Julia once camped for thirty days straight while building mountain biking trails in Utah. This experience highlights her adventurous spirit and commitment to hands-on projects.

Courtney Ulrich Smith is the Program Manager for Fieldbook at High Alpha Innovation. She began her career in visual design for startups and transitioned to a UX/UI role after a company acquisition, working at a software agency specializing in data tooling for enterprise companies. In this role, she worked on digital transformation projects with Fortune 500 and Fortune 100 companies such as Walmart, Sam’s Club, and HEB. Her role gradually became more specialized in design research, and she eventually co-led the organization’s first strategy and innovation team. In 2023, she joined the startup studio that would eventually become Fieldbook.

Courtney is passionate about building business in Arkansas. She believes that Arkansas talent is often overlooked and vastly underestimated and hopes that Fieldbook's efforts will elevate venture investment across the entire state.

In addition to her professional achievements, Courtney is a two-time small business founder. She and her husband opened their first business in 2017 and their second in 2021. They are passionate about small business and have been involved in revitalization efforts in their historic downtown. Furthermore, Courtney is a non-profit founder, having started NWA Book Fest, Arkansas’s first community-organized book festival, which highlights authors from Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri.

Maxwell von Doepp is a Senior Analyst on the Build Team at Alloy Partners. After graduating from DePauw in 2022, he began his career as a contractor for a change management team at the Adecco Group. There, he honed his problem-structuring skills and gained insight into the inner workings of a large organization. Following this, Maxwell worked as a Data Migration Consultant, helping companies shape their future.

Maxwell joined Alloy Partners in 2024 and has been dedicated to building ever since. He loves taking big, ambiguous questions and whittling them down to their core, ultimately helping partners turn those problems into viable businesses.

In his personal time, Maxwell is passionate about skiing and enjoys hitting the slopes whenever he can.