Chris Goulakos

Chris Goulakos is the founder and managing partner of Balius Partners. MOI Global describes the firm as an alternative asset manager applying value investing principles in the digital economy. Crunchbase lists him as Founder and Managing Director there since August 2018, and Balius is based in Washington, D.C.

Before Balius he worked at MidOcean Partners, a New York alternative asset manager, in a credit associate role. Earlier roles were as an associate at Clarke Inc. and an analyst at CIBC. Crunchbase lists a B.Com from McGill University and study at Ivey Business School, and MOI Global notes he completed the value investing program at Ivey.

MOI Global says he is a board observer and an investor or advisor at several companies, and that he specializes in M&A, capital allocation and capital markets policy. He co-chairs the Hellenic Initiative's New Leaders Group and is a member of the Milken Institute Young Leaders Circle.

Public data on his personal angel investing is thin. Crunchbase lists one personal investment, the Proxy Foods seed round, with details hidden. Most of his visible investing runs through Balius Partners, which Crunchbase describes as providing capital to mission-driven owner-operators seeking a long-term partnership. He does not appear to have published a list of angel investments.

His one AI round on the Lounge deals desk is the Proxy Foods AI seed round of $6M, dated August 2026. Press releases name him among the participating investors, as Founder and Managing Partner of Balius Partners. The round was led by Ted Leonsis.

Proxy Foods AI is based in Washington, D.C. Fundraise Insider says it sells an agentic AI platform for food and beverage product development and formulation, used by CPG brands, foodservice operators and ingredient companies.

Balius describes its focus as the digital economy. His one disclosed AI deal is a seed round, and his other known holdings are growth-stage or operating businesses held through Balius. No check size, stage preference or geographic mandate has been published, so none is stated here.

• Proxy Foods AI: agentic AI platform for food and beverage R&D; participated in its $6M seed round in August 2026.
• Echodyne: radar company; Goulakos said in a LinkedIn post that he has supported it since 2020. Crunchbase lists Balius Partners in its Series C.
• Primetime: Goulakos describes Balius as the private investment firm behind Primetime, which acquired Newbridge.
• Autograph and Craftwork: both appear on Crunchbase as Balius Partners investments; dates are not public.

• crunchbase.com/person/chris-goulakos
• crunchbase.com/organization/balius-partners
• moiglobal.com/latticework-2021-chris-goulakos-howard-marks
• moiglobal.com/latticework-2022-chris-goulakos-howard-marks
• linkedin.com/in/chris-goulakos-7b7a0992
• cbinsights.com/company/proxy-foods/financials
• cbinsights.com/investor/balius-partners
• aijourn.com/proxy-foods-ai-raises-6m-seed-round-to-accelerate-ai-nativ