Cafe IW: Investing in Women

Join Innovation Works for an empowering discussion on navigating the investment landscape as a woman founder. This engaging conversation will cover current investment trends, practical strategies for overcoming funding challenges, and insights into breaking into the field of venture capital and entrepreneurship. This event is open to all - women, men, and nonbinary allies alike.

Sophie Burkholder, Investment Associate at Innovation Works, will moderate a dynamic panel featuring prominent local investors:

– 412 Venture Fund
– BlueTree VC
– Project Olympus

Together, they’ll share actionable advice, industry perspectives, and personal experiences to help women founders and young professionals gain the confidence and knowledge needed to secure funding and thrive in the startup ecosystem.

Don't miss this opportunity to connect, learn, and grow with like-minded professionals in the investment and startup community!

Light refreshments to be provided.

Rezzan is a Venture Partner at 412 Venture Fund. Previously, she was a Partner at Drive Capital specializing in pre-seed to pre-IPO investments in AI, life sciences and healthcare. Before turning investor, she was the COO at Intelligencia, a data science company that partners with biotech and pharma companies to advance drug development programs. Prior to her role at Intelligencia, Rezzan held various positions at McKinsey, Goldman Sachs and Citadel. Rezzan holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Yale University and a B.S. in Physics from Koc University.

Meredith is the Director of Project Olympus, a part of the Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship. She is the Assistant Dean of Entrepreneurship Initiatives at Carnegie Mellon University and an Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship at the Tepper School of Business. She is also an Entrepreneur in Residence at Carnegie Mellon University's Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship. She was awarded the 2023 Gerald Leland Bach Teaching Award, voted by MBA students. She founded and leads the Family Business Initiative at Carnegie Mellon, which brings together family business owners and entrepreneurs from various industries and geographies. Meredith Meyer Grelli founded, led, and sold two craft beverage companies, Wigle Whiskey and Threadbare Cider & Mead. Wigle Whiskey was Pennsylvania’s first direct-to-consumer spirits company since Prohibition. She is a two-time James Beard Semi-Finalist for Outstanding Wine, Spirits, Beer Professional and was named 100 Women to Watch in the US by the Business Times. Meredith’s work helped to restore Pennsylvania’s legacy as the Birthplace of American Whiskey, as well as change the regulatory framework in which distilleries operate.

Lindsay is a strategic leader who collaborates with executives, investors, and innovation stakeholders to optimize operational, technological, and profitability outcomes. Lindsay currently holds the position of Venture Partner at BlueTree Venture Capital, a Series A investment firm with headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA. Prior to her current role, Lindsay held positions at large corporations, emerging startups, and early-stage investment funds, including Program Manager for Raytheon Technologies, where she specialized in defense and cybersecurity solutions. She began her startup journey as the founder of a retail technology company and has since collaborated with numerous startups in leadership, advisory, and investor capacities. Her skill set encompasses SaaS and software-enabled technology, business operations, company governance, and financial management. Lindsay earned her BS in Computer Science from West Virginia University, MS in Systems Engineering from George Mason University, and MBA from Penn State University. She has served on various boards that promote entrepreneurship and supports startups. As a West Virginia native, she is inspired by the opportunities that technology provides to small towns and rural communities. Lindsay currently resides in Pittsburgh, PA with her husband and three children.

Thank you to our sponsors who make events like this possible: Faros Properties, Sisterson, & Buchanan.

Host or Publisher Innovation Works