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SPEAKERS
Keynote Speakers:
COLIN LE DUC
Generation Investment Management
LUCAS JOPPA
Haveli Investments
INTERSECTION OF FINANCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN CLIMATE ACTION
Roundtable Hosts:
REBECCA EGGER
Little Otter
ELANA BERKOWITZ
Springbank
ADVANCING MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS FOR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN
As the U.S. faces significant demographic and social shifts, issues around caregiving, growing demand for childcare and elder care, and household management are increasingly impacting working families. This roundtable will delve into these evolving dynamics and the implications for the growing care economy, with a deep dive on the unmet mental health needs of younger children and their families. Despite the fact that we know early identification and intervention for mental health disorders in the early years of life improve outcomes across adolescence and adulthood, kids have not received the mental health help they need. We’ll explore the challenges in pediatric mental health, headwinds for digital health companies, and strategies to combat stigma, along with business considerations like reimbursement rates and scaling through direct-to-consumer and B2B channels.
DAN GLUCK
GroundForce Capital
SAM KASS
Acre Venture Partners
THE FUTURE OF FOOD: INNOVATONS AND INSIGHTS FOR A SUSTAINABLE U.S. FOOD SYSTEM
Farmers, producers, consumers, and investors are increasingly aware of the connections between the food system and major systemic challenges, including climate change, health issues, and economic hardship in rural areas. The good news is that brands, products, and services are utilizing innovation to motivate healthier, more sustainable behaviors, while food-related technologies can directly contribute to accelerating the transition to a lower carbon climate. We will discuss the evolving U.S. food system, the need for rapid scaling of innovative food companies, and highlight emerging opportunities in sustainability-focused companies. Additionally, we’ll highlight some of the breakthrough technologies in agriculture and infrastructure that support the transition to regenerative production.
STASIA OBREMSKEY
RH Capital
DR. TARA BISHOP
Black Opal Ventures
REDEFINING WOMEN'S HEALTH: ADDRESSING DISPARITIES AND UNLOCKING INNOVATION
The U.S. health system was not designed with women in mind, leading to a historical under prioritization of their health needs. Women’s health is often limited to sexual and reproductive issues, ignoring broader conditions that disproportionately impact women. And despite the immense potential for innovation, companies in this field have received only 2% of venture funding across the healthcare industry. This roundtable will delve into the root causes of these disparities, highlight recent developments such as the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research and a landmark report from the World Economic Forum and McKinsey Health Institute, and explore how entrepreneurs and investors can advance equity in this critical field.
ABE YOKELL
Congruent Ventures
PAUL STRAUB
Wireframe Ventures
NAVIGATING CLIMATE TECH: CAPITAL, POLICY IMPACT, AND GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES
Despite short-term capital challenges, the long-term outlook for climate tech remains strong as climate change risks become more evident and the appetite for solutions grows. Although overall VC investment has declined, climate tech has experienced a smaller drop in deal activity and an increase in seed-stage funding, signaling ongoing investor interest. We’ll explore the current landscape of private markets for clean energy, the capital bifurcation and "missing middle" of growth equity funding, the impact of federal incentives like the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and promising advancements in technologies that are working to build solutions across climate change mitigation, adaptation, and decarbonization.
JOSH COHEN
City Light Capital
DANISH MUNIR
GreyMatter Capital
FRANK WILLIAMS
Define Ventures
ADVANCING INNOVATION IN MENTAL HEALTH
Explore the cutting-edge innovations advancing the fields of behavioral health and mental wellness. This conversation will address critical issues like serious mental illness (SMI) and addiction, and the pressing need to support and expand the mental health workforce. We will discuss improving access to equitable, affordable care and the transformative potential of technology-driven advancements, including the proliferation of AI applications in healthcare. We will also examine the current fundraising landscape for digital and behavioral health companies, highlighting opportunities for innovation, obstacles to scale, and how investors can accelerate momentum in this sector.
ULILI ONOVAKPURI
Kapor Capital
ANDRE BENNIN
Rethink Education
FROM COMMITMENT TO REASSESSMENT: THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF DEI IN VENTURE CAPITAL
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives have recently faced setbacks, notably with the Supreme Court's 2023 decision to end affirmative action and a U.S. appeals court ruling blocking a Black-owned VC firm from funding women-of-color-led businesses. These developments have led many private market participants to reconsider or scale back their DEI programs, creating a chilling effect on diversity-focused VC funds. Despite U.S. venture firms investing over $130 billion annually, Black investors have been largely excluded from mobilizing or receiving this capital, with Black founders receiving less than 0.5% of venture capital funding last year. We’ll examine the current state of the market, the supply-demand problem underpinned by a homogenous and concentrated investment ecosystem, and discuss strategies that are working to address the persistent funding gap, recognizing the need to shift the demographics of the venture industry and help get founders of color that are building businesses better positioned for scale.
PRIYA PARRISH
Impact Engine
JOANNA DRAKE
Magnify Ventures
UNDERSTANDING THE DYNAMICS OF EMERGING VENTURE FUNDS AND GP/LP PARTNERSHIPS
Since 2017, $58.5 billion has been invested in 1,381 first-time venture funds, marking a significant increase from the previous decade. That said, recent market volatility and a liquidity crunch has sharply curtailed new VC fundraising, and LPs have been more cautious deploying capital to fund managers without a tenured track record or a strong, pre-existing relationship. The challenge has disproportionately affected nascent impact managers, including those led by women and underrepresented minorities, many of whom find it difficult to access capital through traditional channels. Despite these challenges, the industry leaders of today once began as emerging funds, and alignment exists most naturally with new firms that need to prove their value. This discussion will explore the complexities of launching a first or second-time fund, debate the perception of higher risk associated with new managers, and consider the strategic, value-added role LPs can play as “gatekeepers” in the evolving private equity ecosystem.
MATTHEW GREENFIELD
Rethink Education
STEVE KUPFER
Reach Capital
CLOSING GAPS IN EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES BY LEVERAGING AI
AI is poised to revolutionize K-12 education by personalizing learning experiences and streamlining administrative tasks. Through adaptive learning platforms and intelligent tutoring systems, AI can address individual student needs, enhance engagement, and support teachers in creating more effective lesson plans. From an impact perspective, can this transformative technology truly democratize access to quality education in order to make it more inclusive and tailored to diverse learning styles and paces?
VIKAS RAJ
ResilienceVC
NASIR QADREE
Zeal Capital Partners
TRANSFORMATIVE FINTECH: ENHANCING FINANCIAL INCLUSION AND RESILIENCE FOR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES
Fintech advancements are reshaping the landscape of financial literacy by providing intuitive tools and resources that empower individuals to manage their finances more effectively. As these technologies become more accessible, they hold the promise of democratizing financial knowledge and fostering greater economic empowerment across diverse demographics. Learn how features such as automated savings plans, risk assessment tools, or low-cost small business financing, can empower people to better prepare for and recover financial challenges.
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