Bio

Drawing on 25-years’ experience in law and business, Viqar Shariff helps entrepreneurs and investors finance and grow early and later-stage companies. A veteran of New York City’s startup and tech scene, Viq served as a partner at an international law firm, counseling on venture capital, private equity and M&A deals during the Internet 1.0 and 2.0 eras. He later joined investment firm Rizvi Traverse as a Managing Partner, leading the firm’s emerging growth technology strategy and directing investments in companies such as Twitter, Square, Flipboard, Facebook, and Pinterest, partnering with O’Melveny on most of these investments. Viq subsequently served as an advisor, board member, and later Chief Strategy Officer at Loop AI Labs and also founded his own investment vehicle focused on growth-stage technology companies, where he reviewed potential deals and managed all aspects of legal review, deal sourcing, structuring, and financing for investments in companies such as Lyft and Boxed Wholesale. More than “just a lawyer,“ Viq offers a rare combination of legal skills, deep industry knowledge, and business savvy—qualities that make him a sought after counselor to the technology, emerging growth, and investment communities.