The efforts being taken by the female investors aim to change the narrative in an ecosystem that has long been dominated by men. These female VCs are actively working to diversify the startup and VC ecosystems in terms of gender and other underrepresented groups as they invest in and work to create an inclusive and equitable future.
The seminal financial services cottage industry, which serves as the spark for so many industry-changing company innovations, nevertheless has a significant gender imbalance. One could argue that while women venture capitalists contribute to the diversity of decision-making that enhances the entrepreneurial ecosystem, most mentors, teachers, guidance counsellors, or careers offices at educational organisations are probably not equipped to speak with or highlight this line of work. As a result, few women either ‘stumble into' this career after working in adjacent fields for a while or are 'discovered'. Female venture capitalists are taking over the world—and uplifting their communities—in Silicon Valley and beyond.
Deena Shakir, Partner, Lux Capital
Deena Shakir is a Partner at Lux Capital, where she makes investments in disruptive technologies that improves lives and livelihoods while modernising analogue businesses. She is especially interested in intersectional and polymath entrepreneurs who are launching ground-breaking businesses and advancing equity in population and human health. She has made investments in companies like Shiru, which uses computational design to create enhanced proteins, Mos, a technology platform looking to democratise access to education, and Neo.tax, who’s advanced NLP simplifies SMB accounting to unlock scientific innovation, since joining Lux in late 2019. She also invested in Lux. Deena is a board member for H1, Shiru, and Allstripes, a data platform for the development of drugs for uncommon diseases.
Deena worked extensively with numerous investments while a Partner at GV before joining Lux, including Slack, One Medical, Quartet, PatientPing, and Segment. She formerly oversaw social impact investments at Google.org and developed product partnerships for early stage startups in healthcare, AI/ML, and search at Google.
Katie Jacobs Stanton, Founder and General Partner, Moxxie Ventures
Founder and general partner of Moxxie Ventures Katie Jacobs Stanton states, "My early career was a succession of try and errors. I worked in the government, charity sector, and banking, but I didn't realise you could love your job until you moved to California to work at Yahoo in 1999. Jacobs Stanton loved creating a solution that individuals could use to make wiser investing decisions during her time as Yahoo Finance's product manager. After that, she worked for Google, Twitter, the Obama White House, and other places before beginning her career at Moxie Ventures, where she now spends her time making investments in start-up businesses. “Each day is unique, which is what makes this job so enjoyable,” she says. She works with companies like Clubhouse, Blueprint, August Health, and others that are changing the world for the better, and Jacobs Stanton hopes that her legacy will be one of "being helpful, kind, and good on Twitter." Along the way, I've discovered that the finest professional route is to surround oneself with outstanding individuals who are tackling challenging issues that have a beneficial impact on the world.
Elizabeth B. Weil, Founder and Managing Partner, Scribble Ventures
Based in Portola Valley Elizabeth B. Weil has held numerous positions. Prior to earning a BA in economics and a master's in engineering from Stanford, she founded two firms. She has also instructed students at the engineering and design departments of her AlmaUniversity. She worked as an executive at Twitter at a period of explosive development, was a partner at Andreessen Horowitz, and has made investments in more than 100 businesses, including Slack, Coinbase, SpaceX, and others. In addition, she manages Paperwheel, her side business in printing and design, and she is a mother of three. She now focuses on early-stage investment as the founder and managing partner of Scribble Ventures. “The great founders, investors, and time spent with them every day, along with the variety and learning possibilities that are constantly changing, are what she loves most about her profession. “Building Scribble Ventures into the VC firm I always wanted to work with has been absolutely invigorating and fulfilling as well. I want to bring energy, enthusiasm and a learning spirit to everything I touch and everything I do," she says.
Sarah Kunst, Managing Director, Cleo Capital
Sarah Kunst has worked in marketing for companies like Apple and Chanel, Cameron Winklevoss' Guest of a Guest, Mohr Davidow Ventures as an investor, Marie Claire as an editor, and more before taking on her present role as managing director of Cleo Capital. She now runs Cleo Capital, a venture fund that invests in companies and is market-focused. Her diverse experiences have led her to this point. The work is satisfying and enjoyable, and despite normal days being packed with meetings, founder calls, and media appearances, it also plays a crucial role in advancing diversity and bringing about significant change in the globe. According to Kunst, “I really love helping bring the future to life,” says Kunst. She says, "We've had the good fortune to invest in an amazingly varied collection of entrepreneurs from all over the country who are actually changing the world via their work in criminal justice, women's health, and income production. "I want the world to be a more just and equal place for people of all racial, gender, and national backgrounds. It is an honour for me to use my personal and professional resources to contribute to the creation of a more inclusive and just world that I sponsor businesses that do.
Hayley Barna, Partner, First Round Capital
A venture partner at First Round Capital, Hayley Barna is based in New York. She co-founded Birchbox, the top cosmetics and grooming shop that First Round seed-funded in 2010, before joining the company. From the company's creation and launch to its expansion to over a million monthly members, she served as Birchbox's co-CEO for five years. She established new businesses and channels like men's and retail stores, extended the company internationally, and raised over $70M in venture capital. Marketing, operations, strategy, and technology were among the important areas under Hayley's control. Prior to starting Birchbox in 2010, Hayley earned her MBA from Harvard Business School. She began her work in New York as a strategy consultant for Bain & Company. Through her positions in strategy at Christie's in Hong Kong and product management at Amazon in Seattle, she also had the opportunity to spend time at two very different extremities of the retail spectrum.
She has overseen investments in a range of markets and business models since joining First Round, including healthcare, consumer, tech-enabled products, and marketplaces.
Cindy Padnos, Founding Managing Director, Illuminate Ventures
The founding Managing Director of Illuminate Ventures, Cindy Padnos, specialises in investments in the Internet, SaaS/cloud computing, digital media, technology-enabled services, and mobile communications. Cindy now holds directorships with BrightEdge, CalmSea, Wild Pockets, and Xactly Corporation, all of which are privately held businesses. Before starting Illuminate, Cindy worked as a Director for Outlook Ventures, where she was one of three investment experts in charge of allocating the company's $140 million fund. Cindy obtained nearly 20 years of operational expertise before joining the venture capital industry, culminating in her position as founder and CEO of Vivant, an innovative SaaS company, where she successfully guided this venture-backed company to purchase.
Aileen Lee, Co-founder, Cowboy Ventures
In order to "both mentor and grow the number of women founders and women in venture capital," Aileen Lee, cofounder of Cowboy Ventures and one of the most well-known women in venture capital in Silicon Valley, founded a group alongside other women in the industry. Gender biases and preconceptions that prohibit women from thriving in venture capital are being challenged by organisations that support women in the profession and assist them in obtaining positions there.
