Taj Eldridge (he/him) is the Senior Director of Investment at Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI). There, he spearheads a division geared towards facilitating the successful growth of sustainable high-tech startup companies engaged in entrepreneurial research and development of advanced technologies with the intent to create high-tech jobs throughout California. Taj was formerly part of the steering committee for The Highlander Venture Fund, dedicated to investing in startups at the University of California Riverside. Taj was also the Director with the ExCITE Incubator affiliated with the University of California Riverside. Taj is also Advisor in Residence for the Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship and as serves as a judge for the California Dreamin’ Business Plan Competition, the UCLA/Knapp Venture Capital competition, and Big Ideas Berkeley.