Barbara Bickham, Women's Innovation Fund Accelerator
Female VC Lab
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| femalevclab.com | Launched: Oct 15, 2020 |
| Season: 1 Episode: 1 | |
Barbara Bickham is a visionary in the venture capital world, renowned for being the managing partner and founder of the Women's Innovation Fund Accelerator. Her eclectic and comprehensive academic background, which includes a computer science degree from Berkeley, a software engineering qualification, and a mini MBA from the University of Chicago, established a strong foundation for her career. Barbara's revelation about the stark funding disparities for women and underserved communities became her inspiration and driving force. This epiphany, which occurred during a car ride five years ago, led her to a pivotal role in venture capital, where she seeks to bridge these gaps and champion inclusion in the innovation ecosystem. With her profound questions and astute investment strategy, Barbara Bickham stands at the forefront of changing the landscape for female-driven entrepreneurship and positive societal impact.
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Barbara Bickham is a visionary in the venture capital world, renowned for being the managing partner and founder of the Women's Innovation Fund Accelerator. Her eclectic and comprehensive academic background, which includes a computer science degree from Berkeley, a software engineering qualification, and a mini MBA from the University of Chicago, established a strong foundation for her career. Barbara's revelation about the stark funding disparities for women and underserved communities became her inspiration and driving force. This epiphany, which occurred during a car ride five years ago, led her to a pivotal role in venture capital, where she seeks to bridge these gaps and champion inclusion in the innovation ecosystem. With her profound questions and astute investment strategy, Barbara Bickham stands at the forefront of changing the landscape for female-driven entrepreneurship and positive societal impact.
ShowNotes for Female VC Lab Podcast with Barbara Bickham
Episode Title: The Journey of a Venture Capitalist: Insights from Barbara Bickham
Introduction:
- Host: Barbara Bickham, Managing Partner and Founder of the Women's Innovation Fund Accelerator.
- A unique episode where Barbara shares her personal journey into venture capitalism and the ethos behind her investment thesis.
Barbara’s Background & Inspiration to Become a VC:
- A blend of technical and business education including Computer Science from Berkeley, software engineering, and a mini MBA from the University of Chicago.
- Triggered by recognizing funding gaps for women and underserved communities while driving her car five years ago.
- Experience running an angel group called Fewer Angels in Los Angeles between 2007–2009 which grew to 450 angels under her leadership.
- Transitioned into private equity/merchant banking raising over $50 million across various companies including significant sums in film funds and blockchain/crypto ventures.
Investment Thesis Explained:
- Gender-balanced C-level teams as part of promoting diversity within leadership roles.
- Focus on all emerging tech excluding biotech/nanotech; areas include AI, AR/VR, IoT, blockchain, quantum computing, robotics etc., targeting advanced future technologies.
- Providing acceleration services that include thorough due diligence processes along with creating sustainability plans for portfolio companies emphasizing ESG (Environmental Social Governance) importance.
Sustainability Importance Highlighted:
- Discusses how large corporations are shifting towards sustainable practices through examples like Apple's green bonds initiatives reflecting on why startups should follow suit to attract modern consumers who value sustainability.
Learning During Global Pandemic & Building Resilience in Ventures:
- Shares insights about repositioning Trail Ventures to focus on educating about emerging technology relevance for businesses and investors during challenging times.
Advice on Investment During Uncertain Times:
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Emphasizes staying active as VCs even during crises like COVID19 highlighting opportunities that arise when others may be hesitant or ‘frozen.’
Contact Information & Community Engagement Request:
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Encourages listeners to connect via LinkedIn at BARBARABICKHAM
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Invites feedback for community building around the podcast series suggesting it is not just about one perspective but many shared journeys.
Closing Remarks:
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Expresses hope that listeners enjoyed getting insight into her journey as a VC
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Anticipates sharing more stories through upcoming episodes
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Reiterates desire for listener engagement regarding content preferences
Thank you so much for tuning into this special installment where we got an insider look at what drives one woman’s mission in shaping the world of venture capital!
