Innovation Advisors Expands into Silicon Valley and Promotes Two Directors

SILICON VALLEY, Calif. and NEW YORK, Jan. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Innovation Advisors, a leading provider of technology-focused investment banking and advisory services in the United States and Europe, today announced the opening of a new Silicon Valley office headed by Managing Director Greg Kouvelas, as well as the promotion of two directors in the firm's New York office.

Greg Kouvelas Opens Silicon Valley Office

"It's been a busy time of growth for us," said Kouvelas, a Managing Director who joined Innovation Advisors in its Chicago office in June 2005 and returned with his family to the Bay Area in 2009 to open the Innovation Advisors office in Palo Alto. "Based on the deal activity that we are experiencing on the West Coast, we felt it was important to be directly in the SF Bay Area technology and venture community. Since I have spent the majority of my career here on the West Coast, I am excited to be back." Kouvelas brings over 20 years of investment banking, consulting, and operating experience in the technology industry and focuses on the communications, media, and software sectors.

Greg will continue to specialize in the convergence of data, voice and video in systems, software and media, with a particular interest in cloud computing, while expanding the firm's Silicon Valley team and sector focus. Greg's investment banking career began at the Chicago Corporation (ABN Amro) in 1989, and then continued with Robertson Stephens and ING Barings Furman Selz in the mid and late '90s. Prior to joining Innovation Advisors, Greg also served as VP of Corporate Development at Lutris Technologies, in Silicon Valley. Greg began his technology career at Andersen Consulting (Accenture) in the MIS group and later its Strategic Services group. Greg has an MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business (Booth School) and an AB in Economics from Harvard University. He was also a member of the Harvard Football team which won Ivy League titles in 1982 and 1983.

"Having navigated through the uncertainty of the last few years, we feel it's a great time to invest in expanding our geographic reach," explained Managing Director and founder Eric Gebaide. "Greg has a long-developed relationship network on the West Coast, and we're excited about establishing a direct presence in the major technology markets throughout the US. Looking forward, we're currently engaged in various activities in the UK and Europe and are examining opportunities to establish our first international office location to join our now four locations in the U.S."

David Yaches and Raphael Garfield are Promoted to Director

Innovation Advisors also announces the promotion of David Yaches and Raphael Garfield from Vice President to Director. "David and Rafi have been part of the IA family for many years now, and we're fortunate to be able to recognize their unwavering commitment to client service, manifold contributions to the firm, and excellence in deal-making," said Gebaide. "The promotion reflects their proven ability to service clients as advisors and deliver creative solutions for complex transactions." Yaches and Garfield have each worked in the technology investment banking industry for more than ten years and are based in the firm's New York office, which focuses on serving the IT services, software, and media markets. Prior to joining Innovation Advisors, David began his career at Greenwood Partners, a warrant-arbitrage firm focused on the NASDAQ Smallcap market and then became an analyst at Broadview Int'l (Jeffries), after graduation from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA in International Relations. Rafi began working as an associate in investment banking in the Banking Technology Group at Credit Suisse First Boston and then became a contributing writer on an insiders' guide to the banking industry for the Vault. Rafi holds a J.D. from Columbia Law School as well as a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School of Business and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.

About Innovation Advisors

Innovation Advisors is a leading advisory firm focused exclusively on serving the needs of technology companies. Founded in 2001 to fill a void in middle-market technology-focused investment banking, Innovation Advisors has completed more than 40 M&A, capital-raising, and advisory transactions for its clients. Headed by a team of senior advisors with extensive operating knowledge and broad Wall Street expertise averaging more than 20 years, the firm now has four locations across the United States including New York, Boston, Chicago and Silicon Valley and services clients in the US and Europe. Innovation Advisors is a member of FINRA and the SIPC. For more information about Innovation Advisors call +1(212) 268-1501 or visit http://www.innovationadvisors.com.

SOURCE Innovation Advisors