Team

We are a team of seasoned CEOs who have successfully led innovative companies in a variety of industries including Biotech, Fintech, Manufacturing and Online / Digital Technologies and Aerospace.

Our Team

Our team of multifaceted partners, staff and advisors brings deep operational experience and leverages our robust network in the global tech community to position our portfolio companies for accelerated growth.

Nathaniel Harding

Managing Partner

A born and bred Oklahoman, Nathaniel is an innovator and market maker who has founded, scaled and sold companies. He is a successful investor in energy, biotech and ag tech. Nathaniel was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and a Most Admired CEO in Oklahoma by the Journal Record.

David Woods

General Partner

David is a natural leader, having held CEO positions at Ditch Witch and EXIM Group. He currently is the CEO of Magellan Executive Partners, is passionate about helping CEOs and owners grow their organizations, their leaders, and their teams. David is a frequent keynote speaker on growth strategy.

Mike Moradi

General Partner

Mike is an entrepreneur having founded, led, and grown several biopharma and nanotech startups. He has been a managing, general or venture partner for several local, coastal and international venture capital funds. Mike was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and is a TED member.

Susan Moring

Principal

A startup enthusiast, Susan has spent the bulk of her career supporting entrepreneurs and contributing to the growth of Oklahoma’s startup ecosystem. Susan launched a social entrepreneurship fellowship program in Oklahoma City and grew the state’s first coding bootcamp. Susan is a steering committee member for Creative Oklahoma’s Entrepreneur Mentor Program (IKEMP), and she works nationally with Techstars.

J.D. Baker

Platform Manager

J.D. Baker joins Cortado Ventures after serving nearly 4 years with the Oklahoma City Mayor’s Office where he managed several projects supporting economic development, and diversity & inclusion. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City Black Chamber of Commerce, and as a Civic Leader for the United States Air and Space Forces Chiefs of Staff.

Hailey Moxley

Accounting Manager

A lifelong Oklahoma resident, Hailey joined the Cortado team in 2022 with a broad-based accounting experience in Business Administration, Financial Planning, and Real Estate. She is a graduate of the University of Central Oklahoma.

Cody Merrill

Venture Executive

Raised in Tulsa, OK, Cody has spent his career working in startup medical software businesses in New Orleans, San Francisco, and Dallas. He most recently founded a workforce technology mobile app Socialwyze that was backed by Mark Cuban, Trammell S. Crow, and Cortado. Previously, Cody founded an ACT/SAT prep company while serving as a President’s Scholar at SMU and the London School of Economics.

Matt Waraich

Associate

Originally from Canada, Matt is a former software engineer with extensive tech industry knowledge and has applied this expertise to his current role. He has assumed responsibility for the portfolio support program and works closely with the investment team to source and evaluate new deals while cultivating relationships with entrepreneurs. Matt has amassed a wealth of experience in the startup space, with a particular focus on B2B and B2C mobile and web applications.

Mansi Patel

Analyst

Mansi was raised by entrepreneurs in the hospitality and real estate industries. She has expanded on the learned knowledge of her upbringing and focuses her expertise on fintech, hospitality and healthcare. She is a native Oklahoman and University of Oklahoma MBA graduate.

Deborah Moorad

Entrepreneur-in-Residence

Simone Sparks

Executive Assistant

Simone Sparks is an Oklahoma City native. She brings over 12 years of leadership experience in directing multifaceted teams, implementing systems, and producing cultural change in both non-profit and for-profit spectrums. She is a resourceful problem solver and creative visionary with innate ability to implement new strategies and systems.

Advisors

Sean Kouplen

Board Advisor

Melissa Bergkamp

Agtech Advisor

Vahid Farzaneh

Board Advisor

Blake Bixler

Energy Advisor

Blake is the CEO of Senslytics. Originally from Oklahoma, Blake is an entrepreneur with experience in agriculture, energy and venture capital. Blake’s expertise spans a company’s complete life cycle, from building the initial operations, leading teams, and driving growth, through navigating the acquisition process.