Michael Zaydon

Seed Fund Manager & Administrator

Michael A. Zaydon is the Fund Manager and Administrator of the Propel Penn State Seed Fund. He is also the Program Director for the Propel Business: New Venture & Innovation program and founding leader of Smeal’s Propel Business Advisory Network. Michael is the founder and principal of Crystal Park Group and was formerly a consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP within the firm’s specialty financial instruments advisory practice. Michael has 12+ years’ experience in the private markets working with large private equity, venture capital, asset management, family office, and university endowment investors. He has experience supporting the GP, LP, and portfolio company perspectives within the private market landscape. This includes early-stage investment and funding models, due diligence, negotiation, transaction execution and funding, valuation, strategy, value creation, performance monitoring, executive stakeholder reporting, and governance. Michael is a licensed Certified Public Accountant and has served as a member of the Pennsylvania CPA Journal editorial board since 2013. Michael holds a Master of Management in Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Penn State and Bachelor of Science degrees in Accounting and Philosophy from the University of Scranton.