The Power of Connection

In the heart of New York City, overlooking the Hudson River from the stunning Google Cloud offices, something remarkable happened this March. Nearly 200 women investors, founders, and operators gathered in one room—not just to discuss market trends and the future of tech & AI, but to inspire and be inspired by one another.

The 3rd Women Invest Summit, held during Women's History Month, was a testament to the growing power of women supporting women in the investment landscape. What began three years ago with 100 registrations has blossomed into an event that drew over 370 registrations this year, showcasing the hunger for these connections and conversations.

For those who couldn't join us (capacity was limited, but the enthusiasm wasn't!), we're delighted to share the highlights from this extraordinary day of learning, inspiration, and network-building.

From Early Motherhood to IPO: A Journey of Resilience

The summit kicked off with a powerful keynote from Sheila Marcelo, founder of Care.com and Ohai.com, whose story resonated deeply with everyone in the room.

Moving from the Philippines at age six, Sheila shared her unconventional journey to Harvard—arriving as a package deal with her husband and young son. Her experience as what she calls the "Chief Household Officer"—caring for both children and parents—became the inspiration behind Care.com, the leading platform for finding care services.

In 2014, Sheila became just the seventh woman to take her company public—a sobering statistic representing less than half of one percent of all IPOs. She candidly shared moments of being underestimated, including being mistaken for an assistant during her own company's IPO process.

Perhaps the most touching moment came when she recounted asking her son if she had been a good mother, worried about the time her entrepreneurial journey had taken away from family. Though he initially admitted she "wasn't around much," during the IPO celebration, that same son chose the moment to tell her how much of an inspiration she had been as a mother. It was a powerful reminder that our impact as women leaders extends far beyond what we sometimes recognize.

Building an AI-Powered Future

One of the summit's most anticipated panels featured Samantha Rodriguez (VC Partnerships, Google), Anna Barber (Managing Partner, M13 Ventures), Meeka Bondy (Partner, Perkins Coie), and Crystal Huang (Partner, Google Ventures).

The consensus? While the AI space may currently be experiencing some hype—with massive VC investment resulting in similar products built around "foundational model + your data + workflows"—there's substantial substance beneath the buzz. The panel predicted that foundational models will eventually become commodities, with real differentiation coming from deeply understanding niche problems.

On the legal front, key considerations include the evolving copyright status of AI-generated content and questions of AI liability (with the recent Air Canada virtual avatar case highlighted as a cautionary tale).

The panel observed that AI agent adoption might be overstated in the current market, noting that companies face stricter accountability for AI mistakes compared to human errors. Perhaps most encouragingly, they highlighted how AI is democratizing content creation, enabling broader creativity by automating administrative tasks. The most exciting prospect? Hyper-efficient, specialized AI companies scaling quickly ($1-15M ARR) by leveraging proprietary datasets, domain expertise, and robust integrations.

For investors, the "love factors" remain consistent: founder-market fit, deep customer understanding, clear and focused execution, rapid iteration, and ambitious yet practical visions. An interesting new development: non-AI founders now need to prepare for AI literacy diligence as part of deal underwriting.

Beyond the Horizon: Market Trends Shaping 2025

Looking forward, our panel of financial and investment experts—Ita Ekpoudom (Partner, GingerBread Capital), Katie Laczs (VP, Goldman Sachs), Rebecca Kaden (Managing Partner, Union Square Ventures), and Christina Ross (Founder, Cube)—shared valuable insights on what's ahead.

The economic outlook from Goldman Sachs suggests a positive trajectory for the US economy overall, despite expected volatility. While we should anticipate two typical 5% pullbacks and some impact from tariffs, these remain within historical norms.

For the IPO market, the current volatility creates a paradox—beneficial for traders but problematic for companies looking to go public. The good news? There's a clear backlog of capital waiting for stability, with many companies "striving to thrive" in preparation for more favorable conditions.

Rebecca Kaden from Union Square Ventures emphasized the importance of a clear investment fund strategy, noting there are many successful approaches to venture capital. USV's particular philosophy centers on supporting companies long-term (even without reinvestment) and keeping fund sizes manageable to quickly reach carry alignment with founders. Smaller funds, she noted, align more closely with founders' success through this carry alignment.

Christina Ross captured a critical shift in today's business environment: "Adaptability is more important today than ever before. It used to be that a budget and a plan would suffice—but today it's all about scenario planning!"

Venture Everywhere: The Book

Another summit highlight was an inspiring fireside chat between Yashreeka Huq (Partner, Perkins Coie) and our own Jenny Fielding about her new book, "Venture Everywhere."

Jenny shared that this book goes beyond venture capital, using her voice to highlight the journeys of founders across the globe—showcasing their resilience and what it takes to succeed against all odds. Through tales of global entrepreneurship and candid interviews with innovative minds worldwide, the book takes readers from New York City to Rio, Beijing, Cairo, and beyond.

In one of the day's most moving moments, Jenny revealed how emotional many of these founder interviews became, with entrepreneurs often brought to tears reflecting on their sacrifices and efforts. It was a powerful reminder of the human stories behind every startup journey.

Connection and Community

Following these thought-provoking sessions, attendees had opportunities to dive deeper into specific topics through breakout sessions covering fundraising strategies, building diverse teams in challenging times, and coping with founder burnout.

But perhaps the most valuable aspect of the summit wasn't listed on any agenda—it was the connections made during lunch and networking sessions overlooking the Hudson River. Creating spaces for exceptional women to meet others they might not otherwise encounter remains at the heart of what we do at Everywhere Ventures.

We're incredibly proud of the talent and caliber of people in that room, and immensely grateful to our partners and sponsors—Perkins Coie, Goldman Sachs, and Google Cloud—who worked tirelessly to make this summit possible.

Looking Forward

As we reflect on this powerful day of connection and insight, we're already energized about what's ahead. The growth from 100 registrations at our first summit to over 370 this year speaks volumes about the need for these spaces and conversations.

In a world where women still represent such a small percentage of venture capital and founder communities, events like the Women Invest Summit remind us of what's possible when we come together with purpose and vision. The ideas exchanged, connections formed, and inspiration sparked will continue to ripple outward long after the event itself.

We can't wait to host our 4th Women Invest Summit next year, continuing to build this vibrant community of women changing the face of investment and entrepreneurship. Until then, we remain committed to supporting women founders and investors everywhere, creating opportunities for connection, learning, and growth at every turn.

The future of investment isn't just about capital—it's about community. And if this summit proved anything, it's that our community is stronger and more determined than ever.

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