Billion Dollar Moves™ with Sarah Chen-Spellings | Global Venture Capital

Named one of Forbes’ Most Powerful Women, Melinda French Gates needs no introduction. Over the last twenty years through her work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, one thing has become clear to her: If you want to lift a society up, you must invest in women. This week's replay featured Erin Harkless Moore, Senior Director of Investment for Pivotal Ventures, a Melinda French Gates company cre...

In this episode of our mini series #MeritInMotion, we’re joined by Rosalind Bazany, Head of ESG and Impact at Antler, one of the world’s most active and selective early-stage VCs. As a pledge partner of Beyond The Billion, Antler has helped deploy capital into nearly 3,000 women through its founder residencies—without any diversity quotas. From her childhood to managing hedge funds through the glo...

What happens when a viral creator becomes a deep tech investor—and then starts working on brain chips? In this episode, we go beyond the hype with Taryn Southern—early YouTube pioneer, Emmy-nominated filmmaker, and now a leading voice in neurotechnology and AI.  From releasing the world’s first AI-generated music album to working at the frontier of brain-computer interfaces with Blackrock Neurotec...

Venture capital is changing—and so is India. In this episode, we dive deep with Ankita Vashistha, the trailblazing investor behind Saha Fund and Arise Ventures. From building Singapore’s first government-backed fund to leading a ₹500 Crore gender-lens powerhouse, Ankita’s story is one of grit, foresight, and redefining alpha. With 5 unicorns, 50+ investments, and a global accelerator reaching 5,00...

With 25 years across engineering, operating, and venture capital, Itamar Novick knows what it takes to build billion-dollar companies—because he’s done it. From betting his life savings on Life360 (now $4.5B public) to helping 60+ startups raise Series A, Itamar shares the unfiltered playbook on solo capital, Pre-Seed power moves, and why he’s staying small in a mega-fund world.  Tune in for tacti...

Summer’s almost here—and with it, a moment to reflect on what it really takes to spark lasting, meaningful change. In a world where progress often feels slow and the stakes impossibly high, Dr. Rajiv Shah has spent his career proving that bold, system-shifting bets can work. From leading global vaccine efforts at the Gates Foundation, to reshaping food security policy at USAID, to now powering inn...

Her great-grandfather helped birth the VC industry. Her father, Tim Draper, made game-changing bets on Tesla, Hotmail, and Skype.  But Jesse Draper? She’s carved her own path—first as a Nickelodeon actress, then as the creator of The Valley Girl Show, and now as the founding partner of Halogen Ventures. With over 75 female-founded companies under her belt, Jesse is proving that investing in women...

In this AANHPI Heritage Month special, we go beyond the headlines to uncover the real strategies behind extraordinary leaders who happen to be Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander.  From billion-dollar founders to high-conviction investors, this episode dives into the mindset, grit, and quiet strength that drive lasting impact—not just success. You'll hear unfiltered insights from...

Laurel Mintz is not your typical VC. At just 26, she stepped in to run her father’s Bassett Furniture business — managing 60 employees and learning leadership the hard way. From there, she launched ⁠Elevate My Brand⁠, a marketing powerhouse behind hundreds of consumer brands — many of which went on to raise capital. Today, she’s rewriting the VC playbook with ⁠Fabric VC⁠, a seed-stage fund turning...

Our guest today is none other than Jeff Maggioncalda, a visionary leader whose journey spans not just one but two groundbreaking fields. For 18 years, Jeff worked side by side with Nobel Prize winner and economist Bill Sharpe, as the founding CEO of Financial Engines, one of the earliest pioneers in the world of robo-advisors and algorithm-driven investment strategies that became the largest indep...

This week, we sat down with father-daughter duo Evan and Ariel Segal of Segal Ventures, pulled back the curtain on how modern family offices can drive real impact. From investing in 94% women-led funds to creatively deploying donor-advised funds, the Segals share how they're rewriting the playbook on values-aligned investing.  Tune in as they discuss building an ecosystem of trust, navigating toda...

In this episode, we dive into France's bold €54 billion climate investment plan with Raphaele Leyendecker, Managing Director of Techstars Sustainability Paris.  As France positions itself as a leader in sustainable innovation, this massive initiative spans sectors from green energy to clean transportation. Raphaele unpacks how Techstars Sustainability Paris fits into this movement, the evolving ro...

In this insightful episode, we sit down with industry leaders dive deep into the challenges and opportunities for women in the venture capital realm. From the evolving investment landscape in Europe, strategies for securing funding, and the power of diverse leadership in driving billion-dollar growth — we’ve covered it all.  With firsthand accounts from these funders and founders who are driving t...

Susan Wojcicki didn’t just lead YouTube—she shaped the digital age. From being Google’s 16th employee to orchestrating YouTube’s $1.65 billion acquisition, her vision transformed the platform into a global powerhouse. In this episode of Billion Dollar Moves CEO Series, we honor Susan’s legacy—from her groundbreaking leadership in tech to her unwavering commitment to innovation. As we reflect on he...

India’s startup ecosystem is at a tipping point. With unicorn valuations correcting and global VCs recalibrating their bets, what does the future hold?  In this episode of Billion Dollar Moves, we sit down with Shuvi Shrivastava, Partner at Lightspeed, one of the world’s most influential venture firms, to unpack India’s rise, venture capital shifts, and the billion-dollar opportunities ahead. Whet...

In this episode, we take you inside Europe’s private equity pilgrimage at SuperReturn in Berlin, where the biggest names in venture capital and private equity gather to shape the future of investing. Featuring Joel Sandhu, co-founder of Top-Tier Access, a platform that connects family offices with the world’s top private equity and venture capital managers. With years of experience navigating the...

In today’s world, the conversation around meritocracy and diversity remains more critical than ever. Last November at The Billion Dollar Brew (London Edition), hosted at RUSI, we tackled these pressing issues head-on with female founders and funders who are driving the future of innovation. Brought to you by Beyond The Billion, Dell Technologies and Dell Women's Entrepreneur Network (DWEN), our pa...

As we celebrate Black Excellence this month, Serena Williams is the perfect feature for our Billion Dollar Moves CEO Series, where we unpack the strategic plays behind the world’s most iconic leaders. Serena Williams is more than a tennis legend—she’s a blueprint for reinvention, resilience, and generational impact. With 23 Grand Slam titles, four Olympic gold medals, and a net worth exceeding $34...

India is on the move. Now the world’s fifth-largest economy, it’s on track to hit $5 trillion in GDP by 2027, fueled by over 900 million people under the age of 35.  And yet, despite delivering outsized returns and capital efficiency, women-led startups still receive less than 10% of total venture funding. That’s why Beyond The Billion launched in India last year—to catalyze capital at scale for w...

From shaping France’s digital transformation as a government minister to leading a €750 million investment fund, Fleur Pellerin is a force to be reckoned with. In this episode, recorded in the heart of Paris, we sit down with Fleur, the founder of Korelya Capital, to explore her extraordinary journey—from her early days as an adopted child from Korea to breaking barriers in politics, tech, and ven...

From a small Croatian village to building billion-dollar businesses, Robert Herjavec knows what it takes to turn risk into reward. In this special episode, recorded at Biban 2024 and brought to you by Monsha’at, we dive into Robert’s journey—bootstrapping his first company from his basement, making strategic exits to giants like AT&T and Nokia, and mastering the art of wealth creation. Whether you...

As we step into 2025, let’s pause to reflect on the lessons that shaped us in 2024. This week on Billion Dollar Moves, we’re bringing you a curated collection of the most impactful insights from our incredible guests over the past year. From overcoming rejection and pioneering in business to purposeful investing, bold leadership, and breaking stereotypes, this episode is packed with strategies and...

Happy 2025, movers and shakers! We're back for the 2025 season, and let me tell you—this is not just another episode.  We’re kicking off the new year and the highly anticipated return of the Billion Dollar CEO Series! You asked for it, and we’re delivering—bigger and better than ever. To launch the series, we’re deconstructing #billiondollarmoves of none other than the unstoppable Lisa Su, Chair a...

This week, we're taking you back into the dynamic world of corporate venture capital with a must-listen conversation featuring Nick Washburn, Senior Managing Director at Intel Capital — one of the most prolific and impactful CVCs, with over $20 billion invested across the tech ecosystem. Why now? Gearing up for 2025 — after the rollercoaster of recent years, investor sentiment is shifting dramatic...

This week, we sit down with Tingting Peng, the Chief Transformation Officer of Moove, the African-born fintech tackling financial inclusion through innovative mobility solutions. With over $500 million raised in equity and debt financing, and a customer base of 30,000 drivers across global markets, Moove is redefining vehicle ownership and creating pathways to economic empowerment. Tingting shares...