Tien Wong

Investor

Venture Partner at IronGate Capital Advisors

Greater Washington, DC area

Writes $100K – $500K checks · typically $250K

About

Tien Wong is Chairman and CEO of Opus8, a private investment and advisory firm that invests in life science and tech-enabled services companies and raises capital for tech companies and alternative investment fund managers. He co-founded and led CyberRep, one of the world's largest privately held CRM outsourcing companies, from 1991 until its 2003 acquisition by Affiliated Computer Services. He founded CONNECTpreneur, a community of more than 25,000 founders and investors that runs large monthly virtual pitch events and in-person Forums. He also serves as a Venture Partner at IronGate Capital Advisors and Chairman of the ed tech company Lumious, and was appointed to the Maryland Venture Fund Authority. A Dartmouth College graduate, he has won the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award and been repeatedly named a Washingtonian "Tech Titan."

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Beyond investing

Founded: Co-founded and led CyberRep, Inc., a CRM outsourcing company acquired by Affiliated Computer Services in 2003. Founded CONNECTpreneur, a global community of over 25,000 founders, investors, and business leaders.
Education: Graduated from Dartmouth College.
Boards: Was appointed by Governor Martin O'Malley to the 9-person Maryland Venture Fund Authority overseeing $84 million in VC allocations. Serves on the Board of Directors of the Austin Venture Association. Chairs the Board of the Association for Enterprise Growth. Serves on the Board of Frederick Innovative Technology Corp., Inc. (FITCI). Serves on the Board of Junior Achievement. Sits on the Council of Advisors for the Washington Institute for Business, Government, & Society. Sits on the Entrepreneurship Advisory Council of The Universities at Shady Grove. Previously served as a Trustee of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.
Communities: Mentors at the Mach37 Cybersecurity Accelerator and Conscious Venture Labs. Serves as Entrepreneur in Residence and guest lecturer at Georgetown University and the University of Maryland. Previously chaired the Executive Leadership Committee for the Network For Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE).
Awards: Received the 2001 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award for Greater Washington and the 2003 EY Performance Excellence Award. Inducted into the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Hall of Fame and the Montgomery County Business Hall of Fame. Named a Washingtonian magazine 'Tech Titan' for seven consecutive years (2017-2023). Twice selected to the Washington Business Journal 'Power 100' (2012 and 2013).

From Tien's own website — common ground for a warm intro.

Experience

Opus8, Inc.CEOcurrent2002 — presentWashington D.C. Metro Area
Phoenix FundManaging General Partnercurrent2019 — presentTysons Corner, Virginia, United States
IronGate Capital AdvisorsVenture Partnercurrent2023 — presentMcLean, Virginia, United States
The Big Idea CONNECTpreneur ForumFounder and Executive Chairmancurrent2012 — presentWashington D.C. Metro Area
Virginia Venture PartnersInvestment Advisory Board Membercurrent2006 — present
GO VirginiaGO Virginia Region 7 Council Membercurrent2023 — presentMcLean, Virginia, United States
Austin Venture AssociationBoard Membercurrent2023 — presentAustin, Texas Metropolitan Area
Frederick Innovative Technology Center, IncBoard Membercurrent2023 — presentFrederick, Maryland, United States
ANB TechnologiesAdvisorcurrent2021 — presentNew York City Metropolitan Area
NanoBioFABAdvisorcurrent2022 — presentFrederick, Maryland, United States
Lore SystemsChairmancurrent2008 — presentWashington DC-Baltimore Area
Georgetown University McDonough School of BusinessEntrepreneur in Residencecurrent2013 — presentWashington D.C. Metro Area
Washington Institute for Business, Government & SocietyAdvisor, Council of Advisorscurrent2019 — presentWashington, District Of Columbia
MindShare Inc.Investment Committee Membercurrent2016 — presentWashington DC-Baltimore Area
MACH37 Cyber AcceleratorStars Mentorcurrent2014 — presentWashington D.C. Metro Area
Conscious Venture LabMentorcurrent2013 — presentBaltimore, Maryland
The Universities at Shady GroveMember, Entrepreneurship Advisory Councicurrent2020 — presentMaryland
LumiousChairman2013 — 2025Washington D.C. Metro Area
TEDCOMember, Maryland Venture Fund Authority2012 — 2022Baltimore, Maryland Area
CIT GAP FundsInvestment Advisory Board Member2006 — 2021Washington D.C. Metro Area

Education

Dartmouth CollegeAB, Government1980 — 1984
Georgetown LawDoctor of Law - JD
Donovan Catholic High School1976 — 1980

Skills & more

SaaS99Educational Technology30Strategic Planning99Leadership99Public Speaking89Mentoring71Negotiation58Call Center71CRM99Private Equity99Venture Capital99Business Strategy99

+12 more

Mergers & AcquisitionsBusiness DevelopmentCorporate DevelopmentEntrepreneurshipSalesStart-upsEvent ManagementMarketingInvestmentsOutsourcingAnalyticsManagement Consulting

From Tien's professional profile.