Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Elisa Miller-Out, Managing Partner of Chloe Capital, located in Ithaca, NY, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Chloe Capital is a movement-driven venture capital firm investing with a gender and diversity lens. We focus on diverse women tech leaders who are solving the world's biggest problems across climate, education, and health. Our superpower is our ecosystem-building work. Our accelerator programs allow us to access unique deal flow, enhance visibility and provide networks and resources for our founders throughout the #InvestInWomen Tour.
Tell us about yourself
I am a serial tech entrepreneur, community builder, investor, and mother. The first part of my career was spent building a global software services company serving Fortune 500 companies, universities, and startups. I spun out several software product businesses as well. During that time, I prepared for a career as a VC by angel investing and mentoring hundreds of early-stage companies.
Some other hats I wear include Entrepreneur in Residence at Cornell University, Instructor with the National Science Foundation, and Innovation Advisor for the NY State Energy Research & DeveIopment Authority (NYSERDA), where I advise on an 800 million dollar portfolio of clean energy companies and programs. I've got a personal track record of 48 companies as a co-founder, angel investor, and VC, and I have executed 11 M&A transactions across that portfolio. After a successful exit in which I sold a division of my software services company about five years ago, my partners and I founded Chloe Capital.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Having the opportunity to invest in amazing diverse women tech leaders at portfolio companies such as Resilia, COI Energy, CareAcademy, Esme Learning, Blastpoint, AgTools, Green Canopy NODE, and many more.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Access to capital for women entrepreneurs as well as for diverse, emerging fund managers, remains a barrier to our growth and the growth of our portfolio.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Find other women leaders to raise up, support, and invest in, whether they are vendors, investments, team members and colleagues, or mentees.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://chloecapital.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChloeCapital/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chloe_capital/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChloeCapital
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisamillerout/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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