Female VC Lab

In this episode of the Female VC Lab Podcast, Barbara Bickham hosts Marcia Dawood, a venture partner with Mindshift Capital. Marcia shares her journey into the world of venture capital, sparked by an unexpected introduction to angel investing. Realizing the gender disparity in funding, she teamed up with Heather Hennion to establish Mindshift Capital, focusing on investing in women-led companies globally. The conversation delves into their investment thesis, targeting innovation in tech, fintech, food tech, edtech, and health tech. Marcia highlights the complexities and rewards of global investing, learning to navigate different markets to support groundbreaking ideas.Marcia discusses her fascination with people's mindsets and relationships with money, emphasizing the importance of democratizing investing. She highlights her initiatives to educate and invite more people, especially women, into the investing realm through her podcast "The Angel Next Door" and her book "Do Good While Doing". Reflecting on the future, Marcia envisions a more accessible private investing landscape, akin to the evolution seen in public markets, and advocates for expanding the definition of an accredited investor. Tune in to explore how these changes could foster greater inclusivity and innovation in the venture capital world. ★ Support this podcast ★

E108 - Liz Kukka: Innovating Purpose and Impact through Tokenized Lending In this enlightening episode of the Female VC Lab podcast, host Barbara Bickham sits down with Liz Kukka, CEO of Purpose For Profit. Liz dives deep into her groundbreaking work with Purpose For Profit, a tokenized lending fund dedicated to building affordable, mixed-income housing. Discover how they are leveraging blockchain technology to provide below-market-rate loans, offering a transparent and revolutionary way to fund and manage real estate projects. Liz also discusses the motivation behind their innovative funding structure, the challenges nonprofits face in raising capital, and the potential of crypto assets to make a real-world impact. Tune in to hear Liz share her insights on the future of venture capital and digital assets, the importance of affordable housing, and her personal journey towards creating a more equitable financial system. Whether you're an investor, a tech enthusiast, or someone interested in social impact, this episode offers valuable perspectives on how financial innovation can drive meaningful change. Key Takeaways: - Understanding Purpose For Profit's unique thesis and funding mechanism - The role of blockchain in real estate and philanthropic initiatives - The impact of affordable housing on education and health outcomes - Future trends in venture capital and the rise of digital assets - Liz's vision for a more transparent and equitable investment landscape Don't miss this episode packed with innovative ideas and practical insights. Listen now to learn from one of the leading voices at the intersection of finance, technology, and social impact!

In this compelling episode of "Female VC Lab," host Barbara Bickham sits down with Keara Sauber, the dynamic CEO of Sauber Capital. With over 20 years of experience in the healthcare and technology sectors, Keara discusses her seminal journey from big pharma to venture capital. She shares her unique investment thesis, focusing on biotech diagnostics, women's health, and the importance of supporting female founders.Listen in as Keara delves into emerging sectors like longevity and distinguishes between health span and lifespan, emphasizing preventative biotech diagnostics. She also shares her current reading habits, blending a mix of professional venture documents with personal interests in longevity and biohacking.Barbara and Keara explore the future landscape of venture capital, highlighting the need for more specialization and collaboration among venture funds, private equity, and investment bankers. They also discuss how venture capital needs to adapt by offering diverse financial instruments.Looking ahead, both Barbara and Keara ponder how venture capital will evolve over the next two years, stressing the importance of inclusive thinking and collaborative efforts to bring in more female voices and varied funding strategies.Tune in for invaluable insights and forward-thinking discussions that are reshaping the world of venture capital, one investment at a time. ★ Support this podcast ★

Welcome to Episode E104 of the Female VC Lab Podcast! In this engaging episode, host Barbara Bickham chats with Anne Gherini, the Chief Marketing Officer at Sierra Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on the future of enterprise. Anne shares her transition from being an operator to becoming a venture capitalist, highlighting her passion for early-stage investments and the dynamic nature of her role. She dives into Sierra Ventures' investment thesis centered on B2B software and discusses the exciting yet challenging landscape of venture capital, especially with the rapid advancements in AI. Anne also reveals her latest reads and offers insightful predictions about the evolving VC industry. Tune in to gain valuable perspectives on the world of venture capital and the future of enterprise technology! ★ Support this podcast ★

Keri Findley, is the founder of Tacora Capital, an Austin, Texas based firm which does asset-backed private credit to venture-owned companies. Providing loans to youngish companies is an important part of the VC ecosystem, and Keri takes pride in helping young entrepreneurs grow their startups. ★ Support this podcast ★

Mary Ellen Iskenderian is President and CEO of Women’s World Banking, the global nonprofit devoted to giving more low-income women access to the financial tools and resources they need to achieve security and prosperity. Ms. Iskenderian has led the Women’s World Banking global team, based in New York, since 2006 and also serves on the Investment Committees of its two impact investment funds. Previously, Ms. Iskenderian worked at the International Finance Corporation, the private sector arm of the World Bank, and the investment bank Lehman Brothers. Ms. Iskenderian is a permanent member of the Council on Foreign Relations, as well as a member of the Women’s Forum of New York and the UN’s Business and Sustainable Development Commission. She serves as a Director on the Board of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Ms. Iskenderian holds an MBA from the Yale School of Management and a Bachelor of Science in International Economics from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. Recently, she was recognized in the Forbes 50 over 50: Investment list, which highlights female investors and financial leaders. Her first book, There’s Nothing Micro About a Billion Women: Making Finance Work for Women, was published by MIT Press in April 2022.

Nicole Valentine is the FinTech Director of the Center for Financial Markets at the Milken Institute with over a decade of financial services, international Mergers & Acquisitions, technology and innovation experience. She leads the FinTech Program with a focus on access to capital, financial inclusion, compliance and transparency.

Alice Pomponio is Vice President of Innovation and Impact Investing at American Cancer Society and Managing Director of BrightEdge —ACS’s mission-driven venture capital and impact investment arm. She’s an impact investor, social innovation entrepreneur, and patient advocate with extensive experience in life sciences and business and passion for health equity.