Malik Jackson
I’m a startup generalist and operations leader with 7+ years of experience supporting early-stage companies across strategy, operations, HR, go to market, fundraising and more. I help founders turn ideas into structured, scalable businesses by building systems, refining business models, and creating clear execution plans that drive growth best used for when you have too many things going on or don't know where to start. I operate at the intersection of strategy, operations, and venture development, turning early concepts into actionable roadmaps, operational playbooks, and investor-ready businesses. This includes supporting founders from ideation through fundraising, building internal infrastructure, and aligning teams around clear goals and execution. How can I support: * Building business models, go to market strategies, and early stage growth plans. * Designing operational systems, org structures, and internal processes that scale. * Preparing founders for fundraising through pitch development, storytelling, and investor readiness. * Identifying market opportunities, validating ideas, and refining product direction. * Supporting hiring strategy, team design, and early company infrastructure. Career highlights: * Worked with Techstars supporting founders through growth strategy and investor preparation. * Supported 30+ startups through consulting, accelerator programs, and operator roles. * Currently consult for Michigan State University Foundation as Mentor-in-Residence. * Helped companies raise $15M+ in cumulative funding through strategy and fundraising support. * Scaled operations at HData from early stage through Pre-seed and to Series A, supporting a 40+ person team. * Served as Interim CEO of MenuBubble, leading a strategic pivot to profitability and accelerator placement. * Built founder communities, including Filmmakers Helping Filmmakers with 18,000+ members and Everything Startup. * Mentored founders across ecosystems, including optiMize, r/startup, and university innovation programs. * Worked across several industries like health tech, social impact, food/CPG, energy tech, entertainment tech, ad tech, micromobility, and many more. * Worked across different roles like operations, business development, human resources, sales & partnerships, and being a CEO. I’m most valuable when founders are early, strategy needs clarity, operations feel unstructured, or a business needs to move from idea to execution with a clear and scalable foundation.
Areas of expertise
- Strategy
- Operations
- Fundraising