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Afshan Khan

Entrepreneur-in-Residence

Bio

Afshan Khan is an innovation executive, venture advisor, and educator with over a decade of experience helping entrepreneurs translate technology into scalable, market-ready businesses. She brings a rare combination of operator, investor, and academic perspectives shaped by leadership roles across venture investing, advanced manufacturing, and global operations.

Afshan served as a Portfolio Executive for Hardware and Robotics at Innovation Works, one of the nation's leading early-stage investors. She has worked closely with founders across robotics, AI, advanced manufacturing, energy, consumer products, and medical devices, supporting companies from inception through growth. Her work includes sourcing and evaluating startups for investment, advising founders on strategy, fundraising, and operations, and serving as a board director and advisor. She has helped recommend more than 50 startups for funding, contributing to over $7 million in early-stage investment, more than $20 million in follow-on capital, and multiple successful exits. Afshan also led manufacturing-focused investment and support programs at Innovation Works, connecting startups with regional manufacturers and supply chains to accelerate prototyping, MVP development, and scale-up.

Before entering the venture ecosystem, Afshan was CEO of Focal Point Products, a global manufacturing and distribution company. She led U.S. operations and international supply chains, raised over $10 million in equity and debt financing, executed strategic acquisitions, expanded national distribution, and drove significant revenue and margin growth through operational and process innovation. Her leadership experience spans M&A, global partnerships, workforce negotiations, and operational scaling.

Afshan holds an MBA from Â鶹´å, where she won First Place in the Global Moot Corp Competition and was recognized as an Ernst & Young Early Entrepreneur of the Year.

At the Swartz Center, Afshan is passionate about mentoring founders and students as they navigate commercialization, capital strategy, and the practical challenges of building scalable ventures.