Nitin Rai

Nitin is the Founder and Managing Director of Elevate Capital, a venture Capital Fund that includes the Elevate Inclusive Fund, a seed-stage fund that invests in diverse and underserved entrepreneurs in the Pacific Northwest. Nearly 60% of Elevate investments are in women-led companies and 40% in African American and LatinX founder/CEO-led startups.

Since 2016, Elevate Capital has invested in more than $7.5 million in 36 startups. These companies have raised follow-on funding of more than $80 million, with a market cap of $200 million and created 350 plus jobs. These companies also report 50% of their employees as diverse. Elevate Capital has already had two strong exits, with two of its portfolio companies: Portland-based RFPIO and Garden Bar by Evergreens.

Nitin also serves as the Chairman of the TiE Global of Board Trustees. In this role, Nitin leads the Board of Trustees' mission to help its 60 plus global chapters ensure entrepreneurs become successful through global programs and initiatives. Nitin also serves as Chair of TiE Global Angels to help entrepreneurs across the globe get funding from TiE Charter Members.

Since 2007, Nitin has been an active angel investor, mentor and is a founding charter member and President of the Board of TiE Oregon. In this role, TiE Oregon has grown to a full-fledged angel investment group with a successful mentoring program. It has launched several education and accelerator programs including TYE and TIE XL. TiE Oregon Angels has invested more than $12 million in 52 startups with six exits that returned over 3X in cash to the angels. TiE Oregon ranks in the top five chapters globally and routinely receives recognition for its angel investment, women, and youth programs. Nitin has invested in more than 50 startups, both personally and through his fund, since 2011.

Nitin is also a successful entrepreneur. He started his career in Silicon Valley as an engineer at two startups. In 1994, he founded First Insight Corporation, a highly successful optometry and ophthalmology electronic health records and practice management software, and revenue cycle management company based in Hillsboro, Oregon, and Pune, India. First Insight is a leader in the eye care industry with its flagship product MaximEyes.