Kala Marathi

Kala Marathi is a Lecturer at the C. T. Bauer College of Business, University of Houston, where she also serves as Executive Director of Innovation and Managing Director of the Cougar Venture Fund. Her role bridges academic instruction with real-world venture development and investment.

Her educational background includes a B.A. in Japanese and Economics from Wellesley College and an MBA from the Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.

Kala's research and professional interests center on innovation and entrepreneurship, particularly in technology startups, angel investing, and corporate venture development. Her work has significantly impacted the Houston and Texas startup ecosystems through investment facilitation and fund creation.

She has played key roles in advancing innovation policy and funding, including co-creating the Texas HALO Fund, the largest angel-focused sidecar fund in Texas, and facilitating over $30 million in investments across 85 early-stage technology companies.

Kala has held leadership positions in several organizations, including serving on the Board of Directors for Texchange and the National Association of Women MBAs (Houston Chapter), the Advisory Board of the National Angel Education Foundation, and as a Director in the Texas Lyceum.

With over 15 years of experience in corporate finance and operations, Kala previously worked at Reliant Energy, where she co-founded the corporate venture group, led smart grid pilots, and launched Texas Star Energy. She also brings strategic finance experience from roles at Continental Airlines and Chase.

She currently leads the Cougar Venture Fund and continues to mentor emerging entrepreneurs and shape innovation policy through her academic and extracurricular leadership.