Derek Burling, Venture Associate, is an engineer-turned-investor supporting mHUB Ventures by strengthening the firm’s investment processes, platform operations, and engagement with founders and investors. He works across sourcing, diligence, portfolio support, fundraising, and fund strategy, with a particular interest in companies developing technologies across energy, infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, medical devices, and other critical industries that advance human health and society.

Before joining mHUB Ventures, Derek spent seven years at Burns & McDonnell as an electrical engineer and project manager, where he worked on large-scale energy infrastructure projects, including utility-scale microgrids, digital substations, grid modernization, and battery energy storage systems. He has also conducted energy policy research for ASTM International and served as a Mayoral Fellow with the City of Chicago, contributing to initiatives spanning sustainability, economic development, and emerging technology.

Derek holds an MBA with Honors from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. He earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he was selected as a Grainger Power Engineering Scholar. He has been a licensed Professional Engineer in Illinois since 2023.