Cal State Monterey Bay’s Women in Venture Capital Initiative hosted an insightful evening of panel discussions and guided networking, bringing together professionals, startup founders, women leaders, and investors.

Held at the Alumni and Visitor Center on March 18, 2025, the event offered valuable perspectives on breaking barriers and driving change in the venture capital industry, welcoming participants at all experience levels. Executive Champions Hilary Bryant and May Roen organized the event to foster and expand access to venture capital, and shape the future of investing and financial empowerment.

The evening featured a distinguished panel, including Margaret Rosas, Head of Customer Success at MotherDuck; Tianyue Yu, Ph.D., Founder & CEO of Q3D Sensing; and Karen Sheffield, founder & Managing Partner of Pachamama Ventures, an emerging venture capital fund. Panelists shared their experiences navigating the venture capital landscape, offering a varied set of insights into industry challenges and opportunities. Reflecting on her journey, Sheffield remarked, "When starting as a VC, I read everything I could—then I stopped because I believe the model is broken. Instead, I chose to investigate how it should be."

The Women in Venture Capital Initiative seeks to demystify venture capital and entrepreneurship and bust myths about what works and why. The goal is to activate and encourage women to engage in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The next panel discussion is scheduled for September 16, 2025, at the Alumni and Visitor Center. Additionally, the Venture Capital 101 for Women class, led by Jenny Kuan, Associate Professor at Cal State Monterey Bay and general partner at être Venture Capital, will return for a weekly series in the month of October.

We extend our gratitude to our founding members, Jenny Kuan, Marylou Shockley, Hilary Bryant, and May Roen, for their vision and dedication.

For more information on upcoming events and opportunities, visit Women in Venture Capital at CSUMB.