HPA
John Thode is a seasoned executive and educator serving as President and Co-Chief Executive Officer of AKHAN Semiconductor, Inc. since January 2022. Concurrently, John holds the title of Richard and Gayle Landuyt Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where responsibility includes teaching and leading initiatives that foster entrepreneurship and innovation. Notable roles include business mentor at mHUB Chicago, adjunct instructor for the NSF I-Corps™ program, and chairman of Thode Residential Rental Properties, LLC. John co-founded the ANCIENT OAKS FOUNDATION and is actively involved with Hyde Park Angels as Co-Chair of the Digital Media & Technology Group. Educational credentials include an MBA from Northwestern University and both a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, respectively.
HPA
HPA is transforming early-stage investing by taking a people-first approach. The organization is the most active early-stage investor group in the Midwest. With a membership of over 100 successful entrepreneurs, executives, and venture capitalists, the group provides critical strategic expertise to entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurial community. More than half of our members have founded a company; most are CEOs, top executives, or corporate board members; and 100% invest in startups. By leveraging the members’ deep and broad knowledge of multiple industries and financial capital, HPA has driven multiple exits and invested millions of dollars in over 50 portfolio companies that have created thousands of jobs in the Midwest since 2006.