Ready to discover how venture capital can drive real impact for emerging markets—and what true leadership looks like in the investment world? In this episode of Female VC Lab, host Barbara Bickham sits down with Eva Yazhari, Managing Partner at Beyond Capital Ventures, for an unfiltered conversation on building a mission-driven VC fund, why conscious leadership matters, and how investing in Africa and India’s rising middle classes creates incredible opportunities for transformation. Tune in to hear Eva share how she moved from finance into venture capital, her relational approach to due diligence, why formalizing informal markets like smallholder farming is a game-changing thesis, and how she’s fostering community and alignment by giving GP carry to all team members—and even founders. Whether you’re an aspiring investor, a founder in emerging markets, or simply passionate about sustainable growth, you’ll walk away inspired and equipped with fresh insights into where VC is headed next.
Guest Information
Guest Name: Eva Yazhari
Bio: Eva Yazhari is the Managing Partner of Beyond Capital Ventures, a purpose-driven venture capital firm investing in seed to Series A rounds across Africa and India. With roots in institutional finance, Eva brings a wealth of experience in fund management, deep due diligence, and impact investing, focusing on technologies and services that uplift the “need to haves” through conscious leadership and stakeholder alignment.
Links:
Episode Outline
How Eva Yazhari Entered VC & Built Beyond Capital Ventures
Hear Eva’s unconventional journey from math major to fund-of-funds to founding her own emerging markets VC, and the unique skill set she carried into her new role. Resource: Beyond Capital Ventures Team
Formalizing Informal Markets in Emerging Economies
Explore “formalizing the informal,” and learn how Beyond Capital Ventures invests in businesses that empower smallholder farmers and aggregate resources for scalable, sustainable impact, featuring a spotlight on agritech company Cinch.
Resource: Portfolio Companies
Conscious Leadership & Redefining VC Alignment
Gain insight into Eva’s approach to authentic, stakeholder-centered leadership, including her innovative decision to share GP carry with both her team and portfolio founders—creating alignment and community while driving results.
Resource: The Good Your Money Can Do
Related Episodes & Additional Resources
Book Recommendation: The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle – Eva’s pick for building strong, collaborative cultures
Host & Show Info
Host Name: Barbara Bickham
About the Host: Barbara Bickham is the founder and Managing Partner of Trailyn Ventures, technology execut
Ready to discover how venture capital can drive real impact for emerging markets—and what true leadership looks like in the investment world? In this episode of Female VC Lab, host Barbara Bickham sits down with Eva Yazhari, Managing Partner at Beyond Capital Ventures, for an unfiltered conversation on building a mission-driven VC fund, why conscious leadership matters, and how investing in Africa and India’s rising middle classes creates incredible opportunities for transformation. Tune in to hear Eva share how she moved from finance into venture capital, her relational approach to due diligence, why formalizing informal markets like smallholder farming is a game-changing thesis, and how she’s fostering community and alignment by giving GP carry to all team members—and even founders. Whether you’re an aspiring investor, a founder in emerging markets, or simply passionate about sustainable growth, you’ll walk away inspired and equipped with fresh insights into where VC is headed next.
Guest Information
Guest Name: Eva Yazhari
Bio: Eva Yazhari is the Managing Partner of Beyond Capital Ventures, a purpose-driven venture capital firm investing in seed to Series A rounds across Africa and India. With roots in institutional finance, Eva brings a wealth of experience in fund management, deep due diligence, and impact investing, focusing on technologies and services that uplift the “need to haves” through conscious leadership and stakeholder alignment.
Links:
Episode Outline
How Eva Yazhari Entered VC & Built Beyond Capital Ventures
Hear Eva’s unconventional journey from math major to fund-of-funds to founding her own emerging markets VC, and the unique skill set she carried into her new role. Resource: Beyond Capital Ventures Team
Formalizing Informal Markets in Emerging Economies
Explore “formalizing the informal,” and learn how Beyond Capital Ventures invests in businesses that empower smallholder farmers and aggregate resources for scalable, sustainable impact, featuring a spotlight on agritech company Cinch.
Resource: Portfolio Companies
Conscious Leadership & Redefining VC Alignment
Gain insight into Eva’s approach to authentic, stakeholder-centered leadership, including her innovative decision to share GP carry with both her team and portfolio founders—creating alignment and community while driving results.
Resource: The Good Your Money Can Do
Related Episodes & Additional Resources
Book Recommendation: The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle – Eva’s pick for building strong, collaborative cultures
Host & Show Info
Host Name: Barbara Bickham
About the Host: Barbara Bickham is the founder and Managing Partner of Trailyn Ventures, technology execut
Show Notes: Episode E104 - Anne Gherini - SIERRA Ventures
Episode Summary:
In this enlightening episode of Female VC Lab, our host Barbara Bickham sits down with Anne Gherini, the CMO at Sierra Ventures, an early-stage VC firm focusing on the future of enterprise. Anne reveals her journey from being an operator to a venture capitalist, the dynamic role she plays in Sierra Ventures, and her investment thesis centered around B2B SaaS. She also shares her insights on the rapid changes in the venture capital world and the significance of go-to-market strategies.
Key Topics Discussed:
- Anne Gherini's career transition from operator to venture capitalist
- Detailed breakdown of Anne's role as a CMO at Sierra Ventures
- Sierra Ventures’ investment thesis focused on early-stage B2B SaaS companies
- Importance of building a technical moat and go-to-market strategies
- Anne’s recommendations on reading and continuously learning about health and longevity
Fun Facts:
1. Diverse Portfolio: Sierra Ventures invests almost exclusively in B2B software but has delved into deep tech sectors like quantum computing and Vertex AI.
2. Passion for Optimization: Anne is enthusiastic about optimizing not only businesses and campaigns but also personal health and longevity, inspired by Peter Attia's book "Outlive."
3. Constant Learning: Besides sitting on investment teams and helping build campaigns, Anne enjoys the continuous learning aspect of venture capital, finding excitement in the pace of advancements in technology and startup solutions.
Contact Information:
- Anne Gherini on LinkedIn
- Anne Gherini on Twitter (X): @AnnieG
- Sierra Ventures Website
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