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About The Team

Our team brings together deep expertise in finance, strategy, and growth, with decades of combined experience supporting businesses across industries. We are committed to guiding founders with transparent advice, tailored solutions, and a collaborative approach—helping companies scale with confidence.

Joseph Grodko

Founder & CEO of Oval Ventures

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Joseph Grodko is the Founder and CEO of Oval Ventures, a firm dedicated to helping business owners access efficient, growth-oriented capital while preserving shareholder equity. Prior to founding Oval Ventures in September 2022, Joseph held various roles in the private lending sector, raising capital through credit facilities across multiple sectors in the lower and middle markets. He specializes in private structured credit, leveraging a network of sophisticated bank and non-bank lenders to deliver tailored financing solutions. Since its inception, Oval Ventures has funded over $350 million in term loans and lines of credit across 120+ businesses.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, Joseph graduated from Baruch College with a BA in Finance and Real Estate Management. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling, playing sports, and is an avid supporter of the New York Yankees, New York Knicks & New York Rangers. Joseph is also actively involved in charitable organizations in the NYC area, including Aim Hire, which focuses on providing employment opportunities for individuals over 40 who have lost their jobs.

Shimmy Ruben

Managing Director

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Shimmy Ruben focuses on private credit solutions for B2B SaaS and tech-enabled companies, with experience spanning venture debt, asset-based lending, and structured facilities. He works closely with founders, CFOs, and investors to design debt capital structures that preserve ownership while enabling growth. Since joining Oval, he has advised on transactions ranging from $1M to $25M, earning a reputation for navigating lender dynamics and delivering flexible, scalable financing outcomes.
Prior to Oval, Shimmy was a Private Banker at J.P. Morgan Chase, where he partnered with clients on wealth management and credit strategies. He brings this relationship-driven foundation into his current work, combining financial acumen with a practical approach to capital markets.
Outside of work, Shimmy enjoys basketball, reading, and time with his family.

Will Dickman

Principal Advisor, CPG Specialist

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Will Dickman is Principal Advisor of Oval Ventures, where he specializes in tailoring growth and working-capital solutions. He structures and places ABL revolvers, term loans, junior revolvers, mezzanine, & cash-flow facilities—grounded in rigorous borrowing-base analysis, liquidity planning, and covenant frameworks (FCCR, TNW).
Before Oval, Will played integral roles at two well-known consumer/e-commerce fintech firms, leading enterprise originations. Under his leadership, those teams generated nearly $1 billion in origination volume.
Today, Will collaborates closely with founder teams. Beyond capital structuring, he invests deeply in building lasting relationships with customers and vendors—always seeking ways to sharpen himself & those around him. 
Outside of his professional life, Will treasures time with his college sweetheart—now his wife—and their two children, Presley (3 months) and Liam (8 years). Whether he’s announcing Liam’s football games, discovering a new golf course, or traveling to fresh destinations, Will embraces every chance to create lasting memories with his growing family.

Adam Akin

Managing Director

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Adam Akin has over 5 years of experience building and scaling sales channels, teams, and workflows in business development for two of the biggest alternative lending funds powering CPG brands.
Directly fueling more than $1 billion in net new funding originations. Adam is a proven force in turning untapped markets into revenue engines.
Adam joins Oval to spearhead growth within the CPG landscape.

Mark Levy

Managing Director

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Mark Levy is a Managing Director at Oval Ventures, where he originates capital placement initiatives across the lower and middle market. With a background in real estate finance and structured products. He plays a central role in originating, structuring, and placing private credit facilities to support growth, acquisitions, and recapitalizations across a range of industries.
Prior to joining Oval Ventures, Mark was a Structured Finance Associate at Moody’s, where he focused on commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS). During his tenure, he underwrote and analyzed complex real estate-backed transactions spanning multiple property types.
A New York native, Mark earned his M.S. in Real Estate Finance and Investments from New York University. Outside of work, he enjoys golf, traveling, and exploring emerging opportunities in the alternative lending and prop-tech sectors.
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