Team
Sonja Markova
Executive Director
Sonja Markova brings over 20 years of experience in angel group management and early-stage investments to the University of Miami. Previously, Ms. Markova was Executive Director of Band of Angels, Silicon Valley’s oldest angel investment group and Managing Director of Keiretsu Forum, the largest global angel investment network. Ms. Markova was Vice President of a single-family office, where she invested in startups from the firm’s asset allocation in ventures. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Florida Venture Forum, Florida’s largest support and networking organization for entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. Ms. Markova is an Advisor at the Berkeley SkyDeck, a top university accelerator which serves as a joint venture between the Haas School of Business and Berkeley College of Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. She is also an Advisor at Camp BizSmart, a program for young aspiring entrepreneurs, ages 11 to 18, designed to acquire essential skills needed to be successful in school, at home, and in a future profession. Previously, she was a mentor at the Alchemist Accelerator and TechStars Miami where she worked with early-stage founders on their preparedness for Seed funding. Ms. Markova began her career in venture capital as an Investment Associate at the International Cooperation and Development Fund (Taiwan ICDF) in her home country North Macedonia.
Arthur Rech Tondin
Principal
Arthur Rech Tondin is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology program at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. His research focuses on pioneering methods to utilize stem cells and immunomodulatory techniques for the treatment of Type 1 diabetes. Dedicated to advancing cellular therapy, Arthur is passionate about bridging the gap between academia and industry, aiming to translate scientific breakthroughs into transformative therapies. As a Principal at the Cane Angel Network, he leads due diligence analysis, preparation of Deal Memos for the startups that are being presented for investment consideration to the network members, and is a mentor to the Cane Angel Network Deal Analysts.
George Liu
Senior Analyst
George Liu is a second-year MBA candidate at the University of Miami Herbert Business School, specializing in Investment and Business Analytics. He began his career as an Associate at PwC Advisory, where he focused on valuation, financial due diligence, and post-merger integration for private equity and corporate clients. Earlier, he gained consulting experience at Deloitte, contributing to digital transformation and strategy projects, and at McKinsey, supporting corporate finance and M&A analyses. During his MBA, he has also worked on strategy projects with Oracle and Norwegian Cruise Line, applying his consulting and analytical background to business challenges. He holds a Master’s in Accounting and a Bachelor’s in Global Development from Cornell University. At the Cane Angel Network, George applies his analytical, finance, and research skills toward evaluating startups seeking funding and preparing investment deal memos for the network’s members.
