Working with founders at companies like Dropbox, Asana, and Zapier taught us something profound: the technologies that change the world don't emerge from quarterly earnings pressure. They come from government funding designed for innovation—capital willing to support long-term, high-risk research that private markets simply can't justify.
Think about it—every foundational technology in your smartphone exists because governments played the long game. The internet, GPS, touchscreens, voice recognition, even the algorithms behind your maps app: all originated from government-funded research, often decades before private markets saw the opportunity.
Yet the most innovative founders we met were leaving billions in non-dilutive funding on the table. They'd raise venture capital for technologies that could have been developed with SBIR grants, or trade equity for growth capital when federal programs were specifically designed to support their exact use case.
The disconnect was staggering. Here were entrepreneurs working on the kinds of moonshot technologies that historically received government backing—AI systems, advanced materials, biotech breakthroughs, clean energy solutions—but they didn't know how to access the very funding programs created to support exactly what they were building.
What we discovered was that innovative companies were missing out on the world's most founder-friendly capital: funding with no equity requirements, no board seats, and no pressure to prioritize short-term returns over long-term impact.
That's why we built Cada. To connect the founders who inspire us most—the ones tackling humanity's biggest challenges—with the same government funding designed for innovation that has always powered transformative breakthroughs.
We've spent our careers working alongside the most innovative founders. Now we're dedicated to helping them access the capital they need to change the world.
Justin is a finance- and strategy-oriented operator who has led teams at venture-backed startups and scaled organizations, including executive roles at Dropbox, Gusto, Asana, and Guru. Before startups, he built a strong foundation in finance and consulting, which he now applies to help founders sharpen business models, GTM, and capital planning.
Justin is also a Limited Partner in two venture funds, supporting early-stage companies and serving as an active advisor to founders. As co-founder of Cada, he helped shape a founder-friendly approach to non-dilutive funding after years of seeing great teams trade too much equity too early.
Nalin is a founder and startup executive who has led growth and operations across fast-scaling, venture-backed companies, including leadership roles at Box, Asana, and Zapier. He previously founded Brick Road Music and advises multiple early-stage founders on product strategy, GTM, and building resilient operating systems.
Nalin co-founded Cada to give entrepreneurs a smarter path to capital—drawing on the lessons he and Justin learned while helping companies navigate funding rounds and, in some cases, IPO journeys. Together, they've translated that experience into a practical, founder-first model for accessing non-dilutive funding.
We've assembled a world-class team of grant professionals who've secured over $1 billion in non-dilutive funding.
Our team is your dedicated partner in identifying and securing grant opportunities. Well-versed across a range of industries and always up-to-date on the latest funding resources, we make sure you have every possible chance to access the support your projects deserve. From initial research to matching your business with the ideal grants, our team is committed to helping you unlock your full funding potential, so you never miss an opportunity.
Kristy is a strategy and partnerships leader focused on scaling funding pipelines and improving win rates, with 18+ years of experience and a record of $1B+ secured in federal and institutional funding. She has managed program portfolios up to $150M and built enterprise knowledge and analytics systems that strengthen capture, forecasting, and stakeholder engagement. Kristy specializes in cross-functional planning, portfolio growth strategy, and operating model design.
M.S. in Foreign Service (International Development) from Georgetown University
B.S. in Psychology from the University of Florida
Shannon is a business development leader and proposal strategist with 15+ years of experience winning competitive, non-dilutive funding for businesses. She has led capture and proposal efforts that have secured $650M+ across U.S. federal and institutional programs, including multiple $50M+ awards. Shannon's portfolio spans proposals to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of State, USAID, Department of Education and European funders such as the EU/FCDO—translating complex technical concepts into clear, compliant, reviewer-ready submissions.
M.A. in Law & Diplomacy from Tufts University (Fletcher School
M.A. in U.S. History from the University of Pennsylvania
B.A. in History/Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania
Dianna is a proposal and portfolio specialist with 15+ years of experience delivering end-to-end capture, technical narrative development, budgets, and compliance for climate, water, and infrastructure initiatives. She has supported awards totaling $250M+ and is known for improving win rates through rigorous planning, cross-functional facilitation, and on-time, audit-ready submissions.
M.Sc. in Environmental Science & Policy from Johns Hopkins University
B.Sc. in Environmental Policy Analysis & Planning from UC Davis
PMP-certified project manager
We leverage a broad network of expert grant writers to ensure your company is matched with the ideal professional for your specific needs. Our matching process pairs you with writers experienced in your industry, giving your application the best possible chance of success. With Cada, you benefit from specialized expertise and a personalized approach tailored to help your business secure funding.
We believe the most important innovations happen when brilliant founders have access to government funding designed for innovation. By connecting innovative companies with the same non-dilutive capital that powered the internet, GPS, and every major technological breakthrough, we're helping entrepreneurs focus on changing the world, not diluting equity.
Join the 86% of our clients who secure funding. Let's discuss your strategy.