This is an episode of January Ventures’ Beyond the Cap Table podcast, hosted by Jennifer Neundorfer. We aim to demystify the various parts of venture capital and highlight founders, funders, and other game changers who are building new networks and enabling the new establishment in the startup and venture world. Listen to the show wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode, we speak to Mariela Salas, Executive Director of SomosVC, formerly LatinxVC, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing the representation of Latino/a investors in the venture capital ecosystem. In this episode we discuss:

• What SomosVC is doing to grow and support the Latino/a venture capital ecosystem
• What Mariela learned from being the only Latina in the room and why she is now determined to ‘take up space’
• How Mariela’s doctorate research on the intersection of Latinx identity, DEI, and venture capital shapes her approach to building SomosVC
• Why data is so important for increasing representation in VC and key insights from the SomosVC annual report
• How to build an authentic community and then activate that community for change
• Why the first annual SomosVC Summit proved now is the time for Latino/a investors

Mariela Salas is the Executive Director of SomosVC, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing the representation of Latino/a investors in the venture capital ecosystem. With nearly 20 years of experience in the entrepreneurship, finance, infrastructure, and technology sectors, she has held executive leadership positions in various corporations and non-profits, including JP Morgan, Verizon, and ACCION USA. Mariela is a Doctoral Candidate at Pepperdine University’s Graziadio Business School. She holds a Master of Science degree in Policy Analysis and Management from The New School University. She earned her Bachelor of Science from Paul Quinn College.