Ashod Donikian
Startup advisor for early-stage and deep-tech founders
| Hourly rate range | $90 to $175 an hour |
|---|---|
| Focus areas | Startups and foundersSalesLeadership and team buildingExit planning and successionCEO and founder coachingTeam performance |
| Works with | Founders and business owners |
| Also coaches | Executive coach |
| Credentials | PhD in Robotics |
Ashod Donikian is a startup advisor who helps early-stage founders with fundraising, hiring, product strategy, and selling their company. He is a 3x founder and has served as CEO and technical founder. His first company grew out of his robotics PhD. He raised $3.7M for it, secured patents, and led acquisition talks. He also co-founded a Web3 ad startup that raised $4M. His focus is deep-tech founders.
What Ashod helps with
Ashod works with founders on the money, people, and product choices that early-stage startups face. He also helps with IP, sales, and exits.
- Crafting a pitch deck that attracts investors
- Hiring top talent as a small, emerging startup
- Balancing research and software development teams
- Developing effective interview techniques
- Choosing the right investors and navigating negotiations
- Creating sales strategies and pricing models
- Guiding the process of selling your startup
- IP and patents
Who Ashod works with
Ashod works with founders who are building early-stage startups. He has more than 10 startup founder clients. His own path from research to product makes him a fit for deep-tech and research-based founders. He also knows the challenges of being a foreign founder in the US.
Background and qualifications
Ashod is a 3x startup founder, and two of his companies were venture-backed. His first startup came out of his PhD in robotics and machine learning. He raised $3.7M, secured patents, built a team, and led acquisition talks. He then co-founded a Web3 ad startup, raised $4M, and wrote the first codebase. He is now building a consumer iOS app. He has experience in hardware and software engineering, real-time estimation, and ML code in C++. He has lectured and spoken at UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business and other universities.
Ashod Donikian pricing
Programs and services
- Custom hourly sessions
Ashod Donikian reviews
The CoachVouch take
A 3x founder with a robotics PhD who has raised venture funding and led acquisition talks for a deep-tech company.
Best for early-stage and deep-tech founders who need help with fundraising, hiring, and product strategy.
Common questions
How much does Ashod Donikian charge?
Coaching with Ashod runs $90 to $175 an hour. Message Ashod from this page for an exact quote.
What does Ashod Donikian help with?
Ashod Donikian helps with crafting a pitch deck that attracts investors, hiring top talent as a small, emerging startup, balancing research and software development teams and developing effective interview techniques.
Is Ashod Donikian certified?
Ashod Donikian lists: PhD in Robotics.
Does Ashod Donikian work with foreign founders?
He moved from Australia to the US to found his first company. He knows the challenges of building a startup as a foreign founder.
Can Ashod help with selling a startup?
Yes. He guides founders through the process of selling their startup. He has led acquisition talks for his own robotics company.
How do I contact Ashod Donikian?
Send Ashod a message from this page. It's free and takes a minute.
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Last updated September 2026. Request a correction.