On this weeks episode of Silicon Valley Impact we speak with Keshia Theobald-van Gent, Vice President of Investment Management at BDev Ventures. BDev Ventures is a Venture Capital Fund that focuses on fast-growing, post-revenue B2B software companies in the US and LATAM, from Seed to Series. Also in the studio is Megan Thorp, General Partner of Ignite Fund of Funds. Ignite's Fund-of-Funds portfolio has broad scope exposure to deep tech AI, targeting venture capital funds that invest in transformative technologies across the AI Infrastructure stack.

Keshia leads the investor and operations teams at BDev Ventures. She previously served as the Sr. Director of US Programs at German Accelerator where she led teams in NYC and Silicon Valley to help high-potential European startups enter the US. In additions, she wasvthe Director of Strategic Partnerships at GSVlabs, where she connected the world’s largest companies to the global startup community, accelerated new products, and generated real ROI through digital innovation.

Megan has over 10 years of experience in marketing, sales, and back office operations within the Financial Services industry, primarily focused on growth strategies for 9-figure asset managers and wealth advisors. Leveraging her MBA from Johns Hopkins University, where she currently sits on the Dean’s Advisory Board for Carey Business School. Before joining IngiteGTM she spent four years building a Healthtech startup as the Chief Operating Officer.

Join us as we discuss the pathway to becoming a VC, and startup insights.

This and much more on Silicon Valley Impact, KPCR 92.9FM in Los Gatos; and 101.9FM in Santa Cruz Tuesdays at 3pm!

This show is for entertainment purposes only. The views expressed by the hosts, and Silicon Valley Impacts guest’s are strictly their own. These views are not intended to

"Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the host and guests on Silicon Valley Impact are for entertainment purposes only and should not be considered financial advice or a solicitation. Listeners are encouraged to consult with a professional before making any financial or business decisions.”

On this week’s episode of Silicon Valley Impact, we have four remarkable women discussing Femtech, startups, leadership, and forging strategic alliances. Joining us in the studio are Marian Bekkar, Nola Masterson, Ariel Watson, and Shagun Maheshwari.

Nola is the lead investor of the Portfolia Femtech Fund and a seasoned board member for both public and private companies, as well as nonprofits. With over 25 years of experience, she has served on audit, compensation, and nominating/governance committees, playing a pivotal role in guiding companies through IPOs and startup growth. As Co-chair Emeritus of the Women Corporate Directors Northern California Chapter, Nola has global experience as an investor, entrepreneur, and executive in sales and marketing for scientific products, ranging from diagnostics to genetic analysis tools. Known for her ability to simplify complex scientific concepts for investors and analysts, she brings deep insights into synthetic biology and human nature, paired with a strong sense of market trends and social needs.

Shagun is the Founder and CEO of Papaya, a company dedicated to women's health and sustainability. A mechanical engineer from Duke University, Shagun has a passion for solving complex problems. Before launching Papaya, she worked at Applied Materials in semiconductor manufacturing, Mojo Vision in AR contact lens development, and a stealth-mode biotech startup focused on wearable biomarker monitoring. With a hands-on approach to engineering, Shagun excels in interdisciplinary projects and loves working in the lab to bring innovative solutions to life.

Ariel is the Founder & CEO at Red Tent PMDD, and a passionate advocate for mental health, deeply aware of how each interaction with an app can have an immediate impact on a user’s well-being. She believes in creating products that not only meet business objectives but are also ethical, responsible, and designed with empathy. Ariel strives to balance functionality, profitability, and user experience while ensuring that her work contributes positively to mental health and overall user wellness.

This and much more on Silicon Valley Impact!

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the host and guests on Silicon Valley Impact are for entertainment purposes only and should not be considered financial advice or solicitation. Listeners are encouraged to consult with a professional before making any financial or business decisions.

On this weeks episode of Silicon Valley Impact we speak with Vishal Verma, General Partner at Edgewood Ventures, LLC.; and Vrinda Agarwal, of Penny Jar Capital. Listen in as we unpack the insights of these two high energy investors and map how they view the startup ecosystem from their experience.

Vishal is General Partner at Edgewood Ventures, LLC, a single-family office (www.edgewoodvp.com), and Redwood Collective, LLC, a venture fund of funds (www.redwoodcollective.net). He serves on the Boards of Darwin Ventures, Fortinet, Opthealth, and Witt Security. As a Senior Advisor, he consults Honorable Dick Gephardt and former Secretary Michael Chertoff on international strategy.

Vishal founded Sidebar Summit (www.sidebarsummit.com) , a leading networking platform in Silicon Valley, and remains actively involved in The Chicago Club and The Indus Entrepreneurs. He also participates in the US-India Cybersecurity Track 1.5 Dialogue, led by the Council on Foreign Relations and Observer Research Foundation.

Committed to education, Vishal sits on the Board of Trustees at the University of California, Merced, and supports the RFK Foundation and Best Buddies. He founded Hyde Park Angels while pursuing his MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, where he earned his degree in Finance. He also holds a B.S. in Marketing from Santa Clara University.

Also in on the show is Vrinda an Investor at Penny Jar Capital, where she focuses on sourcing and evaluating promising early-stage B2B software companies. With a deep-rooted passion for fostering startup growth, Vrinda also actively supports portfolio companies in scaling their businesses.

Vrinda has spent the last 3 years investing in software companies, during which she has sourced and led investment diligence for startups across AI, enterprise, and fintech. Before her work in venture, she was an investment banker at Goldman Sachs and then transitioned to Google, driving product strategy and developing financial analytics for new Nest products. Vrinda holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor's degree from the University of California, Berkeley.

This and much more on Silicon Valley Impact!

Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed by the host(s) and guests on Silicon Valley Impact are for entertainment purposes only and should not be considered financial advice or a solicitation. Listeners are encouraged to consult with a professional before making any financial or business decisions.