Female VC Lab

Show Notes Get ready for an electrifying deep dive into the future of investing and technology with IBM’s Global Head of Venture Capital, Emily Fontaine! Recorded live at the Milken Institute Global Conference, this episode of Female VC Lab unpacks the powerful role that corporate venture capital (CVC) is playing in shaping startup success, AI, and Quantum innovation. You’ll hear firsthand how IBM...

Unlocking Private Markets: How Access and Innovation Are Changing Wealth Investing Curious about the future of venture capital and how individual investors can break into private markets? On this episode of Female VC Lab, co-founder and president of XA Investments, Kimberly Flynn, reveals the game-changing innovations allowing retail investors to participate in private equity and venture capital....

Discover how an accidental career leap led to investing across global gaming, consumer apps, and beyond. In this compelling episode of Female VC Lab, Barbara Bickham sits down with Phylicia Koh, GP at Play Ventures, to unpack the journey from startup growth roles to leading one of the most forward-thinking early-stage funds in gaming and consumer tech. Whether you’re a founder, investor, or aspiri...

In this episode of the Female VC Lab podcast, host Barbara Bickham sits down with Kristina Chapple, General Partner at 11 Tribes VC. Kristina shares her journey into venture capital, driven by a passion for supporting founders beyond just financial returns. She discusses 11 Tribes’ unique thesis: investing not only in business outcomes but also in founder well-being, allocating capital specificall...

Ready to discover how venture capital can drive real impact for emerging markets—and what true leadership looks like in the investment world? In this episode of Female VC Lab, host Barbara Bickham sits down with Eva Yazhari, Managing Partner at Beyond Capital Ventures, for an unfiltered conversation on building a mission-driven VC fund, why conscious leadership matters, and how investing in Africa...

Step into the world of impact investing with this captivating episode of Female VC Lab! Host Barbara Bickham sits down with Najada Kumbuli, Vice President and Head of Investments at the Visa Foundation, for an illuminating conversation on reshaping capitalism for the greater good. Discover how Najada’s journey from communist Albania to leading global VC strategies at Visa Foundation fuels her pass...

In this episode of Female VC Lab, host Barbara Bickham welcomes Erika Aquino, angel investor and head of m Squad, a global investment group based in Singapore with deep roots in the Philippines. Erika shares her unique journey into investing, starting with her father's legacy in tech entrepreneurship and evolving into her own path focused on impact and community. Erika dives into her investment th...

Cheryl L. Evans joins host Barbara Bickham from the Milken Institute’s Global Conference to discuss longevity, retirement planning, and the emerging wealth transfer impacting women and future generations. Drawing on her background in securities law and financial education, Cheryl shares actionable insights about financial security, the necessity of lifetime income, and challenges and opportunities...

In this powerful episode of Female VC Lab, host Barbara Bickham sits down with Mary King, vice president at Aligned Climate Fund, to uncover how venture capital is accelerating the global clean energy transition. If you’re curious about the future of climate tech, energy innovation, and how investors are driving decarbonization, this episode is for you! Mary pulls back the curtain on Aligned Clima...

In this episode of the Female VC Lab podcast, host Barbara Bickham sits down with Katelin Holloway, founding partner at venture capital firm Seven Seven Six. Katelin shares her journey from being an operator and executive to becoming a venture capitalist. She talks about her deep empathy for founders and the valuable insights she gained while sitting on the other side of the boardroom table. Katel...

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 g...

In this riveting episode of Female VC Lab, we delve deep into the transformative potential of smart cities, particularly through the lens of AI and data-driven urban planning. Live from CES 2025, they unpack insights from a panel of experts in weather forecasting, urban design, and civic technology. Join us as we explore how AI can predict extreme weather events far beyond historical patterns, and...

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 blockchai...

Episode E107: Julia Krieger - Pari Passu Venture Partners In this enlightening episode of the Female VC Lab Podcast, host Barbara Bickham sits down with Julia Krieger, the dynamic force behind Pari Passu Venture Partners. Julia shares her journey to becoming a venture capitalist, driven by her passion for building and creating. She reveals the innovative model of Pari Passu, which focuses on indiv...

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 supportin...

In this episode of the Female VC Lab Podcast, host Barbara Bickham sits down with Kt McBratney from Renew Venture Capital and Purpose Rounds. They dive deep into the critical role of venture capital in addressing societal challenges and supporting historically overlooked founders, particularly women and underrepresented groups. Kt shares insights on the importance of intersectionality in funding,...

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...

Welcome to another episode of the Female VC Lab Podcast! In today's episode, we're thrilled to host Katie Quilligan, an investor at Bank Tech Ventures. Katie shares her inspiring journey from working on the operator side at companies like American Express to becoming a venture capitalist driven by the passion to support women entrepreneurs. She dives deep into the unique investment thesis of Bank...

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 ★

Corinne Bortniker is a Director at Cohen Circle where she supports SPAC deal execution and venture capital investments. Previously, Corinne was a Vice President at Wells Fargo Securities, focused on Technology, Media, and Telecom Equity Capital Markets. She has extensive experience executing equity capital markets transactions, raising proceeds for public and private companies. Prior to Wells Farg...

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. Previ...

Madhu is a managing partner and co-founder of Rocketship.vc. Prior to Rocketship, she was Chief Data Officer for Gojek, contributing to its growth into a $10 billion unicorn. She served as an operating partner at a $150M PE fund building startups across Southeast Asia and was a member of Intuit’s Quickbooks Lending Platform founding team. ★ Support this podcast ★

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. ★ Support this podcast ★

Michael Phillips is a trailblazer in the realm of social entrepreneurship and impact, devoting his life to the relentless pursuit of empowering individuals for positive change. Serving as the Chief Operating Officer at T.D. Jakes Enterprises, he spearheads innovative initiatives across Content Creation, Cultural Change, Community Development, and Capital Investments.   ★ Support this podcast ★

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. ★ Support this podcast ★