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Tom Slushe

Role(s): Vatican Fundraiser, Chief Commercialization Officer at EKTA, High-Net-Worth Network Specialist Last interaction: September 2025 - Referenced in Mark Baciak conversation with Gary Sheng

Contact Information​

  • Location: Unknown
  • Status: Active in Vatican and EKTA operations

Professional Background​

  • Chief Commercialization Officer at EKTA (Mark Baciak's sovereign AI company)
  • Vatican fundraising specialist with access to high-net-worth Catholic donors
  • Expertise in connecting major donors with Catholic Church initiatives
  • Strategic relationship manager for institutional Catholic partnerships

Vatican Connections & Work​

Pope Leo Fundraising Success​

Major Vatican Fundraising: Successfully raised substantial funds for Pope Leo:

"Tom Slushe actually came through for the Pope Leo, and he got him a billion dollars"

High-Net-Worth Catholic Network: Access to wealthy Catholic philanthropists:

"So he went to a home for the Christian rich people... And then basically raised a billion dollars for Pope Leo"

Relationship with Mark Baciak​

Maintained Connection: Stayed in contact through challenging periods:

"he and I basically never lost contact. We actually stayed in contact, especially through the trials and tribulations of missing evidence"

Historical Vatican Work: Previous collaboration during Vatican AI projects under Pope Francis

EKTA Role & Contributions​

Chief Commercialization Officer​

Recent Joining: Brought aboard EKTA as key strategic hire:

"Tom's now joined ECTA as a chief commercialization officer"

Donor Access: Bringing significant funding connections to EKTA:

"he's bringing in major contract and major donors as well"

High-Net-Worth Investor Network​

Immediate Funding Access: Connected investors ready to commit without detailed due diligence:

"high net worth individuals who literally got to write the first check for ECTA. Like, just write it. They're like, hey, you want us to write it right now? Or do you want us to see the pitch first?"

Trust-Based Investment: Investors willing to commit based solely on Tom's endorsement:

"Because they're just going off Tom's word. Because if Tom says he's got to do something, they're just like, yeah, it's going to happen"

Strategic Positioning​

Vatican Political Navigation​

Relationship Restoration: Part of team working to restore Vatican relationships after Pope Francis period:

"It wasn't until months after Francis had passed away that everyone started putting all the pieces back together. And that's when I got reached out to and Tom got reached out to"

Behind-the-Scenes Operations: Involved in confidential Vatican AI and digitization projects

Commercial Expertise​

  • Specializes in translating Vatican relationships into commercial opportunities
  • Bridge between Catholic institutional wealth and technology ventures
  • Expert in Catholic donor psychology and motivation

Assessment by Mark Baciak​

Reliability and Capability​

Trusted Partner: Mark Baciak's confidence in Tom's abilities and network Track Record: Proven success in both Vatican fundraising and commercial ventures Strategic Value: Brings both relationships and execution capability to EKTA

Network Quality​

High-Net-Worth Access: Established relationships with wealthy Catholic philanthropists Decision-Maker Connections: Direct access to people who can write large checks immediately Trust-Based Relationships: Network trusts Tom's judgment sufficiently to invest without detailed due diligence

Current Strategic Focus (September 2025)​

EKTA Growth​

  1. Fundraising: Leading commercial fundraising efforts for EKTA's $20 million seed round
  2. Contract Development: Bringing major contracts through Vatican and Catholic networks
  3. Investor Relations: Managing high-net-worth Catholic investor relationships

Vatican Operations​

  1. Pope Leo Support: Continued fundraising and strategic support for new papal administration
  2. AI Project Oversight: Involvement in Vatican archive digitization and AI development
  3. Global Catholic Network: Leveraging relationships across international Catholic institutions

Relationship with Gary Sheng​

Indirect Connection​

  • Connected through Mark Baciak's Vatican AI projects
  • Potential collaboration opportunities through EKTA and Vatican initiatives
  • Shared interest in faith-based technology applications

Future Collaboration Potential​

  • Access to Catholic funding networks for Gary's Christian technology initiatives
  • Vatican project involvement opportunities
  • High-net-worth Catholic investor introductions

Strategic Value​

Unique Positioning​

Tom Slushe represents a rare combination of Vatican institutional access, high-net-worth Catholic donor relationships, and commercial technology expertise. His ability to raise substantial funds for Pope Leo demonstrates both his network quality and execution capability.

Market Access​

  • Catholic Institutional Market: Direct access to Vatican and major Catholic institutions
  • High-Net-Worth Catholics: Established relationships with wealthy Catholic philanthropists
  • Faith-Based Technology: Bridge between religious institutions and technology ventures

Notes​

Tom Slushe appears to be a key strategic asset in the Vatican AI ecosystem, with demonstrated ability to mobilize significant financial resources for Catholic causes. His role as Chief Commercialization Officer at EKTA positions him at the intersection of Vatican relationships and commercial AI development.

His network's willingness to invest based solely on his recommendation suggests both deep trust relationships and significant influence within wealthy Catholic circles. This positioning makes him a valuable strategic partner for faith-based technology initiatives.

Key Themes: Vatican fundraising, Catholic high-net-worth networks, faith-based technology commercialization, institutional religious partnerships, papal administration support.