Katie Harper

Katie Harper is the VP of Products and Partnerships at SBCC with experience building startups from pre-seed to Series B stages. For the past decade, she has worked in venture-backed companies, driving growth through operational leadership and strategic execution. In her most recent role as COO at Kard, a financial technology startup, she built and oversaw the finance, HR, legal, compliance, engineering, and product functions.

Prior to that, she served as Head of Operations at Upwave, an advertising technology startup. Katie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Russian and Computer Science from Duke University, earned in 2013. She remains active in startup ecosystem, advising and investing in early-stage companies. Committed to guiding the next generation of entrepreneurs, she also mentors students through the Duke Innovation and Entrepreneurship program.