Nikiar Ahmadi

Finance Associate

 

Nikiar is passionate about using finance, strategy, and investment to empower community-driven ventures and foster sustainable food systems. With five years of experience as a financial consultant, he has provided valuation and financial modeling expertise to multinational corporations and government clients across a range of industries and five continents.

His role as Treasurer and Board Member for a nonprofit in Washington, D.C., ignited his commitment to supporting local communities through social enterprises. Over the past two years, he’s advised both for-profit and nonprofit organizations focused on workforce development, education, and health equity. During this time, he partnered with impact investing firms such as REDF and Ruthless for Good, supporting clients with growth strategy, impact measurement, and new venture development.

Through visits to his grandparent’s village in Iran and his family’s farm in Ohio, Nikiar developed a deep appreciation for the importance of local food systems in building resilient communities, which ultimately led him to New Venture Advisors. In addition to his work with NVA, Nikiar is co-founding a behavioral health startup and continues to advise social enterprise clients on revenue growth and new business lines.

Nikiar received an MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a B.S. in Finance from Wake Forest University.

 

 

 

 Whatcom County Food System Plan

In 2021, the Whatcom County Food System Committee conducted a community food assessment that pointed to key opportunities to build a more robust and resilient regional food system. New Venture Advisors partnered with Whatcom County staff and the Food System Committee to draft a Whatcom County Food System Plan that builds upon these findings. This Plan focuses on five key goals for building a more equitable, sustainable, and resilient food system, and was informed by an inclusive community engagement process. The Food System Plan will provide the county with a policy roadmap that will strengthen the local food system for years to come. (2023)

 Whatcom Local Food Campus

The Whatcom Community Foundation invests in activities and organizations that improve the ability of people to help themselves, increase connections among people, and take cooperative approaches to community issues. WCF is exploring the development of a local food campus on a waterfront property that would become a multi-tenant site, anchored by a collaborative production kitchen benefitting food access, school system, and community organizations. The goal is strengthening Whatcom County’s local food system by promoting health equity, forging tangible strategic connections between food production organizations, and helping farmers connect with institutional markets. The facility will also feature an incubation kitchen, demonstration kitchen, event and classroom space, collaborative office and conference facilities, and housing.  New Venture Advisors developed the business case for this ambitious project and continues to support its development through engagement and operational development. (2023)