Hands-on Coaching

Johan Klarin comes to Venture Creations from Columbia University, where he served as manager of the NYSERDA-funded Entrepreneur-in-Residence program, assisting clean-tech startups in New York state. Previously, he was managing director of Viaduct Inc., a consulting company focused on Western New York startups, out of Buffalo, N.Y. Johan has an extensive background in creating and advising business startups.

Johan is also co-founder of several companies including AmeriCan Syndicate, a cross-border consulting company that advises Canadian startups that create prototypes and scale-up sales in the United States; Architect Marketing Platform; and online intermediary Arriving Here LLC.

After five years as director of RIT’s Venture Creations Incubator, Rich Notargiacomo brings a diverse set of leadership and business experiences gained at RIT, in business, and in not-for-profit organizations. Rich’s RIT career started in 2003 as adjunct professor at Saunders College of Business. He joined RIT full time in 2010 working in Venture Creations and the Simone Center for Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship. He took on the leadership of Venture Creations in 2015. Prior to joining RIT, Rich had a lengthy career at Eastman Kodak Co. where he gained recognition as a seasoned new products and innovation professional with a track record of successfully commercializing new products.  Between Kodak and RIT, Rich was President of Innovation Focus – Rochester, LLC, a consulting and executive coaching business that helped clients grow through innovation and new products.

Katherine has been coaching startup and small manufacturing businesses for the past five years as owner of ROC City Consultants. Her clients have included startups in clean energy, novel materials for technology advancement and consumer product innovations and services. She has worked with small manufacturing companies in the areas of tool and die, batteries and development of new manufacturing test equipment. Prior to running her own consulting company, Katherine had the opportunity to work at Xerox. She has a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from University of Rochester and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Williams College.