Mr. Pianko is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Achieve Partners. Mr. Pianko also serves as Managing Director of University Ventures. With nearly two decades of experience in the education industry, Mr. Pianko has built a reputation as a trusted education adviser and innovator in student finance, medical education, and postsecondary education.

A frequent commentator on higher education, Mr. Pianko’s insights have been featured in national media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, TechCrunch, Inside Higher Ed, and The Chronicle of Higher Education. Mr. Pianko began his career in investment banking at Goldman Sachs, and quickly became intrigued by the potential of leveraging private capital to establish the next generation of socially beneficial education companies. After leaving Goldman Sachs, Mr. Pianko invested in, founded, advised, or managed a number of education-related businesses. He also established a student loan fund, served as chief of staff for the public/private investments in the Philadelphia School District, and worked as a hedge fund analyst.

Mr. Pianko graduated magna cum laude from Columbia University, and holds a M.B.A. and M.A. in Education from Stanford University.

Daniel is attending / has attended:

The 2018 New York Venture Summit
The 2017 New York Venture Summit
The 2019 New York Venture Summit
VSVC West 2021