About Cada Partners
We're not grant writers. We're funding strategists.
Government funding isn't just a check -- it's time, proof, and credibility for your next raise. Our team blends program expertise, finance, and commercialization to build non-dilutive portfolios that move valuation.
Meet the Founders
Justin Knorr
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 Vahil
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.
Our Team
World-class grant professionals who've secured over $1 billion in non-dilutive funding.
Kristy Ogamba
Strategy and partnerships leader, 18+ years experience, $1B+ secured in federal and institutional funding. M.S. Foreign Service (Georgetown), B.S. Psychology (University of Florida).
Dr. Ana Mesquita
13 years in genetics, biochemistry, and cancer biology. Ph.D. from Autonomous University of Madrid. Personally won $71M from NIH. Future of Science Award.
Dianna Gillespie, PMP
Proposal and portfolio specialist, 15+ years. $250M+ in supported awards. M.Sc. Environmental Science (Johns Hopkins), B.Sc. (UC Davis). PMP-certified.
Skilled Writer Network
Broad network of expert grant writers matched to your industry and technology area, ensuring the right specialist is on every proposal.
AI & Authorship
All applications are human-authored. We use AI tools internally for research, outlines, and checks -- but every word a reviewer reads is written by our team.
Ready to explore your funding options?
15-minute strategy call. We'll map your technology to the agencies and programs most likely to fund it.
Book Strategy Review