Zack Ellison
Founder and managing general partner at Applied Real Intelligence
Expertise: Entrepreneurship, venture debt, venture capital, investing, finance
Education: University of Chicago

Zack Ellison, MBA, MS, CFA, CAIA is the founder and managing general partner of Applied Real Intelligence (A.R.I.) and the chief investment officer of the A.R.I. Senior Secured Growth Credit Fund, which provides debt financing solutions to premier VC-backed companies. He previously worked as a loan underwriter, investment banker, corporate bond trader, and fixed income portfolio manager at three firms with over $1 trillion in assets – Scotia Bank, Deutsche Bank, and Sun Life. Ellison holds an MBA from the University of Chicago, an MS in Risk Management from NYU, and is completing his Doctorate in Business Administration at the University of Florida.

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5 Articles
An entrepreneur sitting with an investor at a conference table.
10 Top Strategies for Raising Startup Capital
It’s competitive out there. Being pleasant, being prepared and being truthful are among the ways to stand out in a sea of startups.
Water swirling in a vortex.
How to Avoid the Startup Death Spiral
The death spiral starts with a precipitous drop in valuation and ends with an R.I.P for your company. Here’s how to stop death in its tracks.
A plant in sunlight. Startups have funding lifecycles, just as plants do.
Where Is Your Startup in Its Funding Lifecycle?
Founders can find funding easier if they understand which types to seek as their company grows.
A conservative business plan and a marketing deck help. startups get ready to raise venture debt.
Get Ready to Raise Venture Debt
A conservative business plan and a marketing deck help.
Venture debt lets founders hang on to a bigger portion of their company as it grows.
What Is Venture Debt? How Can It Support Diverse Founders?
This alternative to equity financing lets founders hang on to a bigger portion of their companies as they grow.