A Conversation with Claire Biernacki | Principal, BBG Ventures | Lerer Hippeau | Cult Capital | Pomona Capital | BoFA Merrill Lynch | MBA @ Columbia

In this conversation with Claire, we hear about her journey from LevFin to PE to now VC, and how she tapped into various networking opportunities and fields of career as she chose to pursue VC. She also shares some trends in the startup world she is tracking closely. And we end the chat with some candid and genuine advice for women who are trying to break into this ecosystem!

Transcript

Here's a quick summary of our conversation with Claire:

• How did you get started in investing? 1:27
  • Going to business school to test what she liked.
  • Interning at Pomona capital.
• Why did you decide to join BBG Ventures? 4:02
  • Joining BBG ventures when they were raising their first institutional fund.
  • Fund's investment strategy.
• What do you look for in a startup? 5:51
  • Strategies for investing in female and diverse founders.
  • Trends and themes in the startup world.
• Evolution of the fund. 7:14
  • B2B vs B2C and B2B in the healthcare space.
  • The digital transformation of legacy businesses.
• What needs to change in the VC industry to move the needle for female founders. 9:19
  • Opportunities for startups to disrupt the industry.
  • What needs to change in the coming years.
  • Diversity in follow on rounds at the later stage. 10:47
• What advice would you have for aspiring female investors? 13:18
  • How to build a relationship with VCs.