Robert Okabe, Managing Director, RPX Group LLC and Angel Investor
Over the last decade Bob Okabe has been actively involved with early stage enterprises on multiple levels. As an angel investor he has made eleven investments with three positive returns of capital and co-founded the Prairie Angels in Chicago. He is a principal of RPX Group LLC (www.rpxgroup.com), a consultancy focused on assisting universities, research institutions, and corporations with spinning out some of their innovative technologies as startup companies.
Among other notable consulting assignments Bob completed a capital markets feasibility study for the World Bank, presenting his findings to cabinet ministers and central bank officials in the Middle East. More recently, he was selected by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to speak at a symposium on new venture creation in Russia. Bob has also been a consultant to and expert witness for the Federal government in securities fraud litigation.
The core of Bob’s experience with growth companies was developed in the corporate world. He was an investment banker for twelve years as a Managing Director and group head at BancAmerica Robertson Stephens, a Senior Vice President at Lehman Brothers and a Vice President at Kidder, Peabody where he participated in numerous debt, equity, M&A, and advisory assignments. He began his business career spending nearly six years in financial management at General Electric. After leaving GE, Bob was a senior bond rating analyst for Moody’s Investors Service for two years.
His civic involvement also involves early stage enterprises. Bob has guest lectured at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business and the Kellogg School of Management on new venture formation and is a member of the Executive Committee of the Mayor’s Council of Technology Advisors in Chicago.
Bob Okabe was awarded his Bachelor of Science in Finance and Organizational Behavior, cum laude, from Boston University’s School of Management.
1Note: The workshop was originally to be led by Bill Payne.
“While I apologize that my upcoming surgery precludes my delivering the Valuation and Portfolio Strategy workshop in Bellevue on April 14th, I am very pleased that Bob Okabe from Chicago has agreed to substitute. I have worked with Bob in delivering several workshops over the past few years and he is a really qualified trainer. He knows his stuff as a seed/startup angel investor and is quick on his feet in responding to inquiries from participants. In particular, Bob seems to have a good story to highlight key points in the workshop and/or in answering questions. I think you will enjoy meeting and learning from Bob.” ~ Bill Payne, Vegas Valley Angels
