About
T.K. Pillan is a plant-based food entrepreneur who serves as a Senior Advisor at Beyond Meat. He co-founded the Veggie Grill restaurant chain in 2006, which grew to 37 locations in the U.S., and co-founded the private equity firm Powerplant Ventures (now GroundForce Capital), whose investments included Beyond Meat, Ripple Foods, OWYN, Miyoko's Creamery, Liquid Death, and Thrive Market. He holds an engineering degree from MIT, where he began his career in technology and co-founded an e-commerce firm in the mid-1990s, and an MBA from UCLA.
Founder at Veggie Grill
Intro paths
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In turn, T.K. can intro founders to Veggie Grill's investors below.
Veggie Grill's investors · 2
Co-founders at Veggie Grill
KB
Kevin BoylanExecutive Officer, Director
MD
Matt de GruyterCo-founder
CD
Cierra de GruyterCo-founder
Experience
- Beyond MeatSenior Advisorcurrent2024 — present
- GroundForce CapitalCo-Founder | Managing Partner2015 — 2024
- Veggie GrillCo-Founder | CEO | Chairman | Exec Chairman2005 — 2023
- Guidance SolutionsCo-Founder | EVP | Board Member1995 — 2004
- Cambridge Technology PartnersDatabase and Systems Architect1990 — 1994
Skills & more
Concept DevelopmentGo-to-Market StrategyLeadership CoachingEntrepreneurship24Strategic Planning37Management43Company ScalingBrand BuildingFounder CoachingFounder JourneyStart-ups80Brand Development1
+12 more
GrowthNew Business VenturesCoaching & MentoringSalesTeam BuildingRestaurantsSaaSPrivate EquityStrategyEnterprise SoftwareE-commerceFoodFrom T.K.'s professional profile.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is T.K. Pillan?
- T.K. Pillan is a plant-based food entrepreneur who serves as a Senior Advisor at Beyond Meat. He co-founded the Veggie Grill restaurant chain in 2006, which grew to 37 locations in the U.S., and co-founded the private equity firm Powerplant Ventures (now GroundForce Capital), whose investments included Beyond Meat, Ripple Foods, OWYN, Miyoko's Creamery, Liquid Death, and Thrive Market. He holds an engineering degree from MIT, where he began his career in technology and co-founded an e-commerce firm in the mid-1990s, and an MBA from UCLA.
- Where does T.K. Pillan work?
- T.K. Pillan is Founder of Veggie Grill.
- What companies did T.K. Pillan found?
- T.K. Pillan founded Veggie Grill.
- Where did T.K. Pillan go to school?
- T.K. Pillan studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (BS, Mechanical Engineering); UCLA Anderson School of Management (MBA).
Founder mafias
Massachusetts Institute of Technology mafia789
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Elad GilPhDFounded Brain Co. +1Hemant TanejaMinorFounded Hippocratic AINat FriedmanBachelor of ScienceFounded XamarinBrad FeldS.B.Founded TechstarsMatt HuangB.S.Founded HotspotsDelian AsparouhovDropoutFounded Nightingale +1
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UCLA Anderson School of Management mafia54
Also came through, then founded or led a company.
Silvia MazzucchelliMBAFounded Modcloth +1Jeffrey ChangMBAFounded Doblet +1Derek HerreraMasters Business Administration (MBA)Founded Bright Uro +1Alex PerelmanMBAFounded PeerStreet +1Tim McCarthyMBAFounded Spring Loaded Technology +1Henrique WeaverMBAFounded Pagaleve +1
+ 47 more
Same school
Also attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology1,740
Fred WilsonCo-founder & Partner at Union Square VenturesElad GilSolo general partner investing through Gil CapitalAileen LeeFounder & Managing Partner of Cowboy VenturesHemant TanejaCEO & Managing Director of General CatalystPhilippe LaffontFounder & CIO of Coatue ManagementNat FriedmanCo-lead of Meta Superintelligence Labs; co-founder of NFDG
+ 1,734 more
Also attended UCLA Anderson School of Management285
David Clark GuillermoInvestments at Impact America FundDana MoralyPartner; Chief Financial & Administrative Officer at March Capital PartnersJed LeidheiserPartner at March Capital PartnersShahin FarshchiPartner at Lux CapitalMonica PlazaOperating Partner at CapitalGJennifer SavagePartner at Illuminate Ventures
+ 279 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Beyond Meat8
Brett ThomasCo-Founder & Managing Partner at CAVU Consumer PartnersJared JacobsManaging Partner at CAVU Consumer PartnersTommaso ChiabraCo-Founder at Mangusta CapitalJames JoaquinCo-Founder & Managing Director at Obvious VenturesAnshul AgarwalPartner at LG Technology VenturesStephanie KaweckiInvestment Associate, Life Sciences at Kairos Venture Investments, Llc
+ 2 more
Also worked at GroundForce Capital8
Caroline WeintraubVice President at True Beauty VenturesDave ReedCFO at YL VenturesTravis LeiterInvestor at BroadscaleDan GluckCo-Founder and Managing Partner at GroundForce CapitalKelly ByrneSenior Associate at GroundForce CapitalSummer FarrenAssociate at GroundForce Capital
+ 2 more
Also worked at Cambridge Technology Partners9
Lak AnanthGlobal Managing Partner at Next47Jim SimsInvestor at Silicon Valley Data CapitalScott SegellValue Based Care + Payor Relations / Healthcare Investor at Pave Health VenturesFergal MullenPartner at Highland EuropeHitoshi YoshidaVenture Partner at ETF PartnersLars NordwallAdvisor at Creandum
+ 3 more