I am fully immersed in this next chapter of my professional career - making the transition from founder / entrepreneur to investor. 

Both professionally and personally, my life has fully changed. Three big updates in my life….

1. I have been humbled by the rigor of Columbia 

2. I have slowly built a beautiful community

3. I know now, more than ever, my calling. THIS….. see below for my first panel with the women I strive to become..

This next chapter will be fully focused on joining a venture capital fund. My goal is to increase access to capital and networks for founders. Over the summer, I had my first taste of the VC space. I worked for a venture fund called Type One Venture and one of my responsibilities was to source deals. As a female founder of color, naturally my networks looked different than many of my peers, and the deals that I brought to the table also looked different. Yes, I was sourcing ALL phenomenal founders that just happened to be from underrepresented backgrounds. 

It was one of those AHA moments.

It solidified for me the importance of having a seat at the table as I witnessed firsthand how my presence was already impacting access to capital for underrepresented founders.. 

So what’s next? 

I GET IT. I know how difficult getting into VC will be but when I think of my life, everything that I have ever accomplished has defied a statistic or shattered a stereotype. What is one more? But I need help from my community. 

My focus will be to work for an established venture fund and deploy money to B2B SaaS technology businesses. Along the way, I am committed to coaching and supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs to help others to grow and succeed. 

If you’re seeing this blog post, you have either known me for a long time and have seen my hustle at work or are meeting me for the first time.

MY ASK IS THIS:

1. If you are connected to a VC fund or anyone in that ecosystem, please make an introduction for me. This is an extremely elite and elusive space that is still driven by personal introductions.

2. If you are a founder, please reach out to me. I am here to help and to share my knowledge and coach you through the process. 

Again, I am so deeply grateful for all the support I have received from my community. I understand the responsibility and opportunity that I have, and I am committed to continuing to be a champion and advocate in all spaces I navigate! 

Also sharing updated information:

IG - @michelleinvests 

Twitter - @Michelle_invests 

Email – mdhansinghani22@gsb.columbia.edu