Chai Ventures

Hello Miami! There’s something truly special about the energy in Miami during Art Basel. For the second consecutive year, our team is here, attending key VC and Family Office events, connecting with visionaries and leaders across industries. This year, we’re excited to take a more international approach with invitations from the governments of Japan and Dubai. These partnerships are part of our long-term mission to expand the work Chai Ventures is doing in North America and the U.K., and bring it to new regions. In these conversations, we’re learning that South America will play a critical role in our long-term growth. Miami’s strong South American presence is helping us understand the unique dynamics in this region, especially when it comes to family offices. For instance, many families in South America are increasingly interested in venture capital and frequently send staff to the U.S. to strengthen their networks and deal flow. Our South American Ecosystem Partners have shared that in some countries, a significant portion of family office capital is deployed overseas due to challenges in deploying capital domestically. This opens up tremendous opportunities for collaboration and investment across borders. As we deepen our understanding of the region, we’re happy to connect with family offices and individuals within our women-focused VC ecosystem (male allies welcome). Please reach out directly to schedule a time to connect in person this week and next. About Chai Ventures: Chai Ventures is a NYC-based pre-seed and seed-stage fund dedicated to investing in women-led companies that tackle critical global problems with scalable and impactful solutions. We focus on industries where women hold significant decision-making and spending power, which represents a substantial portion of the total addressable market. Looking forward to connecting with you all! #ArtBasel #FamilyOffices #VentureCapital #SouthAmerica #WomenInVC #ChaiVentures

We were honored to co-sponsor an incredible evening for women GPs and LPs, hosted by Kelly Lyons. In partnership with Chai Ventures and Lyonshare, this event brought together talented and accomplished women. It continues to be important for female investors and fund managers to support each other as they make significant strides in the industry. A heartfelt thank you to @Alex Chung and Abby Lyall for their superb organization and to our fellow co-sponsors Samantha Sandler at Sydecar and Lindsay Ryan at Justworks. We are grateful for the opportunity to be part of a community that’s passionate about fostering growth and connection. Ashley Hubner #ThrowbackThursday #WomenInInvestment #FemaleEmpowerment #CommunityBuilding #Networking #Partner #VentureCapital #Fundraising

Sometimes you hear about how there are not enough women in venture capital -- then people like Kelly Lyons, Alex Chung, Abby Lyall, Ashley Hubner, Samantha Sandler and Lindsay Ryan pack a dining room with powerhouse women hunting for unicorns -- and you realize it is not as lonely as you might think. The sky is the limit with this group!

Last night’s Chai Ventures x Lyonshare dinner was a vibrant gathering for women General Partners (GPs) and Limited Partners (LPs) from family offices, emerging funds, and larger institutions. The event showcased a diverse range of perspectives in venture capital with attendees from funds like Capital One, CPPIB, Dream Capital, Helena Capital, J.P. Morgan, Park Rangers Capital 🏕️, SOSV, TMV and more. Hosted by Kelly Lyons, with special thanks to Abby Lyall for helping organize, the dinner provided a welcoming space for conversation and connection. Guests shared compelling stories, ranging from involvement in the People's Bid for TikTok, marathon triumphs, to former roles in the CIA (yes, there were multiple attendees who had been recruited to work at the CIA!). These personal anecdotes enriched the evening, celebrating the unique journeys of each participant. The investment strategies discussed were equally varied. Attendees included those focusing on real estate fund investing, pre-seed and seed stage "elephant" companies, and a new celebrity-backed VC fund, as well as those investing from pre-seed to Series B stages in areas like vertical SaaS, ML/AI, fintech, and cybersecurity. The future looks promising with plans to bridge early and late-stage capital ecosystems across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, reimagining habits in mobility, climate, productivity, and fintech, and deepening commitments to sustainable, revenue-driven models with robust distribution channels. While AI continues to revolutionize industries, the human element—highlighted by resilient founders and the value of mentorship and personal connections—remains pivotal in building enduring companies. A big thank you to our sponsors—Escalon (Ashley Hubner), Justworks (Lindsay Ryan), and Sydecar (Samantha Sandler)—for their support in making this event possible. The night was filled with laughter, learning, and the strengthening of professional bonds, underscoring the role of diverse perspectives in enhancing our industry and the community spirit among women in venture capital. Here’s to many more evenings like this!

Last night I went to this beautiful & intimate dinner for female GPs & LPs Love seeing women come together to talk investing/deploying $$ & making each other RICH 💸 Thank you Kelly Lyons for hosting us in your beautiful home & to Alex Chung for bringing us together! 🫶

A big thank you to Kelly Lyons for hosting and Alex Chung for the opportunity for Sydecar to sponsor such a memorable dinner. The venue was spectacular, and the company even more so!

I had the privilege of co-sponsoring an incredible evening for women GPs and LPs, hosted by Kelly Lyons at her stunning home with Lyonshare in partnership with Chai Ventures. It was truly inspiring to gather with so many talented and accomplished women, all committed to supporting one another in an industry where female investors and fund managers are still underrepresented. Thank you to Alex Chung and Abby Lyall for organizing, and to my fellow co-sponsors Samantha Sandler at Sydecar and Lindsay Ryan at Justworks. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be part of a community that’s passionate about fostering growth and connection. Here’s to many more events that empower and uplift! #venturecapital #womeninbusiness #startup #womeninfinance #fundraising

We had an incredible time last night hosting an intimate dinner for women GPs and LPs at my home, in partnership with Chai Ventures. It was wonderful being with such a great group of interesting and accomplished women. It continues to be important for female investors and fund managers to support each other as we're still such a small piece of the pie–it's our goal at Lyonshare to facilitate and deepen these connections, and help each other succeed. Thank you Alex Chung and Abby Lyall for organizing, and Ashley Hubner at Escalon Services, LLC, Samantha Sandler at Sydecar and Lindsay Ryan at Justworks for sponsoring! Alex Poscente Aishu Nallapillai Anastasia Lykova Carly Kulik Connie Cocroft Cristiana Wurzer Deborah A. Bussière Delia Price Emma Silverman Erica Wenger 🏕️ Jacqueline Barrett Jessica M. Elizabeth Harrow Lynn Loacker Noel Campbell, CFP®, CEPA Nicole Stanners Olivia K. Robin Wood Sailer Sabriya Stukes, PhD Sarah Antor #VentureCapital #Fundraising #WomenInFinance #WomenInBusiness

Happy Friday! Check out the second edition of Chai Time by Chai Ventures that should've just hit your inbox. We highlighted some amazing women in our community like Bryanna S., Caroline Elliott, Kosha Rakholia, Michelle Kwok, Noelle Crooks, and more! 🫶🏼 Link to subscribe / read our newsletter: https://lnkd.in/e5pKeiCs

I first discovered M.M.LaFleur a few years ago while listening to How I Built This with Guy Raz and was truly inspired by the founder’s journey (Sarah Miyazawa LaFleur). This morning, I read how a group of women investors, led by Sarah's friend Bay Hudner helped organize a crucial meeting with 50 women investors when the company needed funding most. Bay along with new investors like Jessica Erickson stepped in to save the brand during a critical moment—and it’s a powerful reminder of why we need more women at the investment table (link to the full article by Elizabeth Segran, Ph.D. below). Bay, Jessica and their fellow investors provided more than just capital—they brought empathy, strategic insight, and a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by women-led businesses. This is exactly why women investors are so crucial. They not only offer diverse perspectives, but they also have an innate grasp of markets that directly impact women. In moments of crisis, it’s often women investors who see the value in supporting women founders and help guide them through. It’s no secret that women-founded companies still receive less than 3% of all venture funding, yet studies from the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) show they deliver more than twice the revenue per dollar invested. The need for more women at the investment table is clearer than ever. At Chai Ventures, we’re committed to growing this network of women who are making an impact. That’s why we’re co-hosting a special dinner with Lyonshare on November 13th—an intimate gathering for those passionate about investing in women-led funds and companies. It’s a chance to come together, share experiences, and explore how we can support the next generation of women founders. If you’re a Bay Hudner or Jessica Erickson in the making—or if you want to champion women-led businesses and funds—let’s connect. Message me or comment below to join us at this special event, and let’s continue to open doors for women in venture. Link to the full Fast Company article that I mentioned above: https://lnkd.in/eq3vK7mX