Where does Nasir Ali work?

Nasir Ali is Cofounder and CEO at UpVentures Capital.

What check size does Nasir Ali write?

Nasir Ali typically writes checks of $500K – $1.3M.

Where did Nasir Ali go to school?

Nasir Ali studied at Princeton University (AB, Physics); Yale School of Management (MPPM (MBA), Finance and Operations Management).

Nasir Ali

Investor

Cofounder and CEO at UpVentures Capital · Managing Partner at StartFast Ventures

Rochester, New York

Writes $500K – $1.3M checks · typically $750K

Find your path to Nasir

1,333 people in our graph share verified history with Nasir — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.

Katrin GeyskensunlockedNasir: together at Arthur D. Little (1996)

×10Nasir: together at Princeton University

Nasir: together at Yale School of Management

About

Managing Partner at StartFast who has spent two decades building Upstate NY's entrepreneurial ecosystem through Upstate Venture Connect and investments in 60 companies. He launched Upstate NY's first angel fund in 2007 and co-founded the StartFast Venture Accelerator in 2011.

Experience

UpVentures HoldingsCofounder and CEOcurrent2024 — presentLittle Falls, New York, United States
StartFastManaging Directorcurrent2011 — presentRochester, New York, United States
SimpleCertifiedMail.comBoard Membercurrent2025 — present
KredosAiBoard Membercurrent2025 — present
Upstate Venture ConnectCo-Founder and Board Chairmancurrent2010 — present
Entrepreneurs Across Borders, Inc.Board Advisorcurrent2024 — present
UpMobility Foundation, Inc.Board Advisorcurrent2024 — presentLittle Falls, New York, United States
Fitz Gate VenturesAdvisorcurrent2017 — presentUnited States
NextGen Venture PartnersPartnercurrent2017 — presentUnited States
NYS Innovation Venture Capital FundInvestment Committee Member2014 — 2023Albany, New York Metropolitan Area
Seed Capital Fund of CNY, LLCMember and Executive Director2007 — 2020
SpinCar®Board Observer2014 — 2018Greater Syracuse-Auburn Area
Paper Battery CompanyAdvisory Board Member2014 — 2018Troy, NY
KipAdvisor2016 — 2017New York, NY
Chequed.comDirector2010 — 2013Saratoga Springs, NY
The Tech GardenPresident2004 — 2010
Booz Allen HamiltonAssociate2002 — 2004
WriterspointCoFounder and President2001 — 2002
New Think, Inc.Founder and CEO1999 — 2001
MGA, Inc.Sr. Associate1996 — 1999
Arthur D. LittleSr. Consultant, Environmental Business & Strategy1991 — 1996

Skills & more

Venture Capital98Start-ups99Entrepreneurship99Mergers & Acquisitions15Corporate Development17Business Strategy17Private Equity37Marketing Strategy11Angel Investing26New Business Development9Business Development23Executive Management5

+12 more

Non-profitsIntegrated MarketingReferralsCleantechRecruitingStrategic PartnershipsProduct DevelopmentManagement ConsultingMentoringLeadershipStrategyStrategic Planning

From Nasir's professional profile.

Colleagues at UpVentures Capital

Amy Lindner

UpMobility Foundation at UpVentures Capital

Andrea Babinec

UpMobility Foundation at UpVentures Capital

Anthony Thomas

Unite NY Executive Director at UpVentures Capital

Chris Cochran

Entrepreneurs Across Borders at UpVentures Capital

Cindy Sideris

Upstate Venture Connect at UpVentures Capital

Dean Gaylord

UpVentures Hospitality at UpVentures Capital

Frank Herringshaw

UpVentures Hospitality at UpVentures Capital

Hailee Greene

Upstate Venture Connect at UpVentures Capital

Network1

Baris GuzelScout

Partner at BMW i Ventures

Investors connected to Nasir in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Nasir Ali?: Managing Partner at StartFast who has spent two decades building Upstate NY's entrepreneurial ecosystem through Upstate Venture Connect and investments in 60 companies. He launched Upstate NY's first angel fund in 2007 and co-founded the StartFast Venture Accelerator in 2011.
Where does Nasir Ali work?: Nasir Ali is Cofounder and CEO at UpVentures Capital.
What check size does Nasir Ali write?: Nasir Ali typically writes checks of $500K – $1.3M.
Where did Nasir Ali go to school?: Nasir Ali studied at Princeton University (AB, Physics); Yale School of Management (MPPM (MBA), Finance and Operations Management).