Katie Shea, Venture Capitalist

Katie, a venture capitalist, discusses her journey from founding a ballet flat startup to angel investing and now running her own fund, Divergent. She emphasizes the importance of early-stage investments, noting that her fund’s 30 million USD focuses on pre-seed deals at sub-10 million valuations. Katie highlights the significance of maintaining a small fund size, avoiding dilution, and building trust with limited partners (LPs). She also touches on the challenges of raising a fund during COVID-19 and the strategic decision to avoid follow-on investments. Katie’s approach is rooted in deep relationships and a focus on sectors like supply chain, healthcare, and marketplaces.