News & Events
News
Recent articles, interviews and podcasts featuring Illuminate Ventures, our research, investment philosophy and focus areas:
Innovators and Investors Podcast: Smart Seed Stage Investing with Illuminate Ventures
LP Blueprint: Raising a Fund in 2025- Hard Truths and Smart Strategies
VC on VC Podcast: B2B AI Investing Viewpoints
Carnegie Mellon CONNECTS: The Rise of GenAI and Recent Trends in Venture Capital
Astella Around the World: Podcast with Illuminate Ventures
CIO Exchange Podcast: Investing One Step Ahead - with Guest Cindy Padnos
Michigan Mpods: Interview with Cindy Padnos, Illuminate Ventures
Longbow's On Point: Early Stage Venture Capital Trends with Nadine Terman & Cindy Padnos
Passing the Mic Podcast: VC Exchange with Cindy Padnos
Women in Private Equity Video Interview: Viewing Seed Stage Investment Opportunity Through a Different Lens
Fireside with a VC Podcast: Investing in B2B/Enterprise software startups, building a seed-stage VC firm, and enabling diversity in the high tech ecosystem
Dreammakers Podcast: Opening the Door Wider: Cindy Padnos, Founder & Managing Partner of Illuminate Ventures
The Orbit Shift Podcast: The Founder's Guide to Building an Effective Startup Board with Cindy Padnos
PEAK Video Voices: Insights on Founding a Venture Capital Firm and Establishing Unique Investment Strategies
The Backstory of Allocadia and Illuminate: From Initial Investment to Acquisition by BrandMaker
Women's PE Briefs: In the Spotlight - Behind the Scenes Story of Coupang and Illuminate Ventures
The Backstory of Coupang and Illuminate: From First Investment in CalmSea to IPO
INC: MBA Students Are Clear: 85 Percent Considering Entrepreneurship After Graduation
The Sure Shot Entrepreneur Podcast: Innovate Continuously to Remain Competitive
Institutional Investor: Venture Capital (Still) Has a Gender Problem
Poets & Quants: Study: 85% Of MBAs Interested In Entrepreneurship
Women 2.0: New Report Showcases How Female and Male MBAs Perceive Entrepreneurship and VC
Medium Post: Illuminate’s New Research Reinforces Our Conviction in Hands-On Learning for Future Entrepreneurs
The Intelligent Investor, Silicon Valley (book): Practical advice for investors and entrepreneurs. (Illuminate one of 50 leading investors featured)
SaaS District - Video Series for Entrepreneurs: Seed Stage Investment Market & Key Metrics for SaaS Founders
20 Minute Leaders: Interview with Cindy Padnos, Founder & Managing Partner, Illuminate Ventures
MBA News: More Students Considering Entrepreneurship
Startup Mindset Academy - Investor Video Interview Series: Introducing Illuminate Ventures
The Founder Formula Podcast: Episode 17 - Cindy Padnos, Illuminate Ventures
Carnegie Mellon CONNECTS Series: How COVID Impacts The Future of Work: Which B2B Software Segments will Accelerate?
Stanford GSB Cases E-695 and E-696: Women in Venture Capital - Aileen Lee (Cowboy Ventures) and Cindy Padnos (Illuminate Ventures)
Unicorn Nest: Interview with Cindy Padnos (Illuminate Ventures): We invest in teams and companies that are further along
Forbes: Diversity In Venture Capital: In the U.S., It May Be Getting Worse
GeekWire: Should gender diversity on corporate boards be legally required? Women VCs, tech execs weigh in
Tech Talk with Anu: Video interview with Cindy Padnos, Illuminate Ventures
Carnegie Mellon CONNECTS: The Mismatch Between How VCs and Entrepreneurs Think (Video)
Financial Times: Female Tech Entrepreneurs are Given Less Space to Fail
Entrepreneur: The Surprising Differences Between Men's and Women's Motives and Obstacles in Becoming Entrepreneurs
CMU Webinar: Overcoming Entrepreneurial Barriers: With Cindy Padnos and Shanna Tellerman
All About Alpha: Illuminating Gender Differences in Entrepreneurship
SandHill.com: M.R. Asks 3 Questions- Cindy Padnos, founder Illuminate Ventures
Women 2.0: Important Findings about Founders and VCs' Show Big Changes and Big Gaps
Entrepreneur: How the Founder of Modsy and Her Mentor Are Building a 'Power Squad' to Help Women in Business
SaaStr - The Twenty Minute VC Podcast: The Unwavering Power of Predictable Revenue - Interview with Cindy Padnos
Forbes: Ten Female Founded Venture Capital Funds You Should Have in Your Network
Smart Company: Networking is key to better funding outcomes
Preqin: Special Report Women in Alternative Assets
Inc. com: Why Middle America Can Be Better For Entrepreneurs than Silicon Valley
Carnegie Mellon Today: Illuminating Presence
New York Times: Influential Women in Silicon Valley
Stanford Technology Ventures – Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders Series, Cindy Padnos Interview: An Enterprising Approach to Investment
Events
Upcoming and Recent Illuminate Speaking/Judging Events
7BC Global VC Demo Day, Featured Speaker: Enterprise/B2B Investing
Women's in Venture Capital Summit 2025, Panelist: Finding One's Voice - What's Needed to Challenge Industry Norms
Asia Family Office Forum, Panelist: B2B AI Investment Strategies
SaaStr Annual, Braindate Speaker: Best Practices for B2B Startups Raising Seed Stage Financing
Global Corporate Venturing Institute, Panelist: Leadership In The Boardroom, Inspiring Change and Growth
Berkeley Haas Entrepreneurship Summit, Panelist: Entrepreneurship in the AI era
Michigan Ross Innovation Summit, Panel Moderator: Founding and Building a Venture-class startup
Wharton Seattle Alumni Club, Panelist: AI Innovations and Investments
SuperVenture US West, Panelist: The Future of Enterprise Technology
The Bridge Funding Global, Presenter: Annual Conference
Women's Venture Capital Summit, Exit This Way - Opportunities for Getting the Most Value Out of Your Portfolio
JP Morgan, Panelist: Women and Diverse Business Leaders' Conference
The Wharton School Executive MBA Program, Speaker: Can Anyone be a VC and Build a VC Firm?
UCLA Easton Technology Management Workshop, Speaker: Product Market Fit in B2B Demystified
Canadian Women's Network, Founders and Funders event
VMworld Executive Summit, Transformation Driven by Imagination - Luminary VC Panel - with partners from Greylock, Illuminate and Sequoia
Carnegie Mellon CONNECTS, Speaker: Today's MBA Student is Tomorrow's Entrepreneur
French American Chamber of Commerce, Panelist: What are the Tech & VC trends?
BRIIA B2B Accelerator Annual State of the Startup, Panelist: Addressing the Gender Gap
SuperTechnology North America, Panelist: Creating Diversity - Using new approaches to create diversity
Comeback Capital, Judge: Live Pitch: Midwest Startups Compete for Coastal Investment
Carnegie Mellon CONNECTS Series, Keynote Speaker: How COVID Impacts The Future of Work: Which B2B Software Segments will Accelerate?
SaaStr LAUNCH Accelerator, Startup judge and advisor
Startup Haven, Speaker: Networking event for venture-scale founders
Foster School of Business, Judge: Entrepreneurial Influence and MBA Pitch
Epic Events, Panelist and Judge: State of Female Founders Investor Panel + Pitch
Enterprise, Co-sponsor: Invitation-only gathering of top Enterprise CEOs and investors
Berkeley-Haas, Judge: National VCIC competition Venture Capital Investment Competition
Early Growth Financial Services, Meet the VC: Interactive session
Stanford/NVCA VC Symposium, Panelist: Secrets of Successful Boards
Enterprise Retreat, Panel Moderator: CXOs speak out - CIO Intel, CRO Pepsico, CIO Verizon
SXSW, Entrepreneurship Track Panelist: Turning the Tables: Entrepreneur to Investor
SuperRetun West, Panelist: Future hot sectors in Venture Capital
SaaStr, Speaker: Tackling the biggest success attributes and barriers for entrepreneurs
Berkeley Method of Entrepreneurship (BMOE), Judge: Entrepreneurship Bootcamp Startup Finals
Vanderbilt Darden School of Business, Guest Lecturer: Venture Capital
UC Berkeley HaaS School of Business, Fireside Chat: The Current State of Tech Entrepreneurship
TechCrunch Disrupt, Female Founders Office Hours
StartOut, Panelist: Meet the VC Partners from DCM, DFJ, Felicis and Illuminate
100 Women in Finance, Panelist: AI in Finance and Beyond: Applications, Opportunities, and Ethics
NTT Innovation Institute, Speaker: Trends in Enterprise Tech
FairFunders, Webinar speaker: Founder Access to VCs
VC Taskforce, Panelist: Women's Fundraising Roundtable
SuperReturn, Panelist: Venture Capital Trends
Tepper Fireside Chat, Speaker: Tech and Entrepreneurship Trends
Ladies Who Launch, Moderator: Finance Hustle Panel
NVCA, Panelist: Successful Fundraiser's Philosophy
Board Leadership Forum/Nat'l Assoc. of Corporate Directors, Panelist: Innovation and Strategy as Part of a Board's DNA
Grand Valley State University Seidman College of Business, Speaker: Koeze Business Ethics Initiative
RAISE, Panelist: Starting a New VC Firm From Scratch
Stanford GSB, Speaker: Women and Venture Capital
Women’s Private Equity Summit, Panelist: Current State and Ongoing Evolution in Venture Capital Investing
Archived News
VentureBeat: The top 5 trends cloud-focused VCs are most excited about
Preqin: Women in Venture Capital Report
Ladders: 85% of MBA Students Consider This as a Career Option
Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper Magazine: Nothing Ventured - Nothing Gained
San Jose Business Journal: To Pitch or Not to Pitch – Startup founders weigh VC funds vs. bootstrapping
UC Davis Graduate School of Management: Women Who Count – Cindy Padnos on Impact Through Investing
Inc.com: 5 Best-Kept Secrets about Enterprise Software
Women 2.0: Yes, There Is Such a Thing as Raising Too Much Capital
PE HUB: Facebook-Blind – VCs Missed Opportunities in B2B Cloud Investments
Silicon Valley Business Journal: Why Hiring More Women Can Make you Money
Venture Beat: Forget Facebook! Meet 12 investors on the hunt for the next Microsoft
Inc.com: The Enterprise Cloud’s Silver Lining
Peninsula Press: Back to Basics – VC’s remind today’s generation of entrepreneurs what it takes to succeed
Inc.: Insider’s Guide to Silicon Valley Investors
Fortune: Fast Forwarding Women in Tech
Gust: Investor Videos –Cindy Padnos Interview – Recommendations for Start-up Entrepreneurs
The Network: The Cloud and the Changing Role of the Investor
Forbes: Run 100% of a Business in the Cloud?
CloudTweaks: On the Verge: 100% Cloud Fueled Ventures
San Francisco Magazine: The Smart Money
Washington Post: Five myths about entrepreneurs http://wapo.st/r0ayDO
New York Times: Women and Technology and Myth http://nyti.ms/a2ToVq
Announcement of Illuminate Ventures I Final Close (link to our own release here):
– VentureBeat: Women-led VC firm Illuminate raises $20M fund http://bit.ly/1h3j2j9
– Dow Jones VentureWire: Illuminate Ventures Closes $20M Micro VC Fund http://bit.ly/1duc7yV
– Strictly VC: In VC, Going it Alone, with Plenty of Company http://bit.ly/19HoNKw
– VatorNews: Illuminate Ventures raises $20M for new fund http://bit.ly/1aQZBS0
– Women 2.0: Female-led micro VC firm Illuminate Ventures announces $20M fund http://bit.ly/18uRJJL
Reuters: The Great Debate – Why aren’t there more foreign female entrepreneurs? http://reut.rs/ncvSia
Inc.: The Case Against the All-Male Start-up http://bit.ly/nxjFA4
The Ideas Project: Cindy Padnos Video-Investors Can Benefit By Backing Women Entrepreneurshttp://bit.ly/p6b1Wd
San Francisco Business Times: Most Influential Women in the Bay Area Business Named http://bit.ly/kzlq87
Vator News Innovation Series: Today’s Entrepreneur http://bit.ly/lEiMOR
MediaPost: Do We Need More Women in Technology?
Insider: The Age of the Female -Centric Start-up
Huffington Post: Women Entrepreneurs on the Rise
Business Standard: Enterprise knows no gender
Forbes: High-Performance Women in High Tech
The Ideas Project: The Women Of Technology: Making It To The Top http://bit.ly/nA0K2l
Financial Times: Geeky world of IT loses its appeal as a career choice http://on.ft.com/ppRr8s
WOMEN 2.0: 5 Female Angels and Investors to Watch http://bit.ly/e9dF4s
VatorNews Today’s Entrepreneur: Cindy Padnos Profile http://bit.ly/lEiMOR
The Wall Street Journal: Making Strides at Start-Ups http://on.wsj.com/kDv9CX
Sandhill.com: Meet Tomorrow’s High-Performance Companies http://bit.ly/eNHp7P
Venture Beat: FailCon: How to fail gracefully with a startup http://bit.ly/a1BYUr
Mashable/Business: Why We Need to Reframe the “Women in Tech” Debate http://bit.ly/cqoW2w
PEHub: A VC Firm By Women, For Women — And Men Too http://bit.ly/96fan9 (requires subscription)
The Wall Street Journal: Daily VC Dispatch Cindy Padnos, Illuminate Ventures, on Venture Chemistryhttp://bit.ly/ckRHeF (video interview)
New York Times: Female Entrepreneurs on the Rise http://nyti.ms/9jpuO2
San Jose Mercury News: Cassidy: A wave of women entrepreneurs may be coming http://bit.ly/cz4Hy9
Bloomberg BusinessWeek: The New Entrepreneur – Why Venture Capital Firms Need More Women Partnershttp://bit.ly/dnTsEz
Palo Alto Weekly: What Ceiling? http://bit.ly/8YGSAs
Forbes.com: How To Write A Winning Business Plan http://bit.ly/c5qrkg
New York Times: Out of the Loop in Silicon Valley http://nyti.ms/9OZU1R
Fast Company: The Most Influential Women in Technology http://bit.ly/9JZLPW
Forbes: We Need More Female Venture Capitalists http://bit.ly/ax2r18
Fortune: How to build a startup: her best advice http://bit.ly/dtgg5W
Reuters Venture Capital Journal (VCJ): Women in VC http://bit.ly/9JLNry (Requires subscription)
Fast Company: Startups: An “Alpha Male Pissing-Contest?” http://bit.ly/bNqZX6
New York Entrepreneur Week: Why Men Get VC Money and Women Don’t ….and How that is Changing
New York Times: The Art of Running a Small Business http://nyti.ms/9MTmyQ
BusinessWeek Online: Addressing the Dearth of Female Entrepreneurs See page 2
TechCrunch: Silicon Valley You’ve got a Gender Problem
NBC Bay Area Editorial: Bay Area Boys Club
TechCrunch: A Fix for Discrimination – Follow the Indian Trail
Prior Events
KMTV Game Changers Silicon Valley Interview Series: Why More VC Money is going into Fewer Deals
SuperInvestor US Video Interview with Cindy Padnos and Eric Benhamou: What are the hallmarks of the next tech unicorn?
Inc.: What Entrepreneurs Really Want From VCs
MiBiz: Q&A with Cindy Padnos
She Started it Documentary: Watch the film trailer
Carnegie Mellon University, Masters in Engineering Management, Commencement Address
Women's Startup Lab, Guest Speaker
PartnerConnect, Panelist: From Pre-Seed to Post-Seed and Everything in Between
Salesforce Ventures, Mentor: Dreamforce Female Founders Breakfast
The Wall Street Journal Women in the Economy, Co-chair: Entrepreneurship Task Force
Harvard Business School Alumni Angel Association, Webinar Panelist: SaaS Investing Overview with partners from Emergence Capital, Pivot North, Costanoa and Illuminate Ventures
University of Michigan College of Engineering, Keynote Speaker: Commencement Address
DataWeek, Panelist: Ask an Investor – Emerging Markets in Big Data
SuperInvestor US 2015, Panelist: Next Generation Venture Capital
Women 2.0 Founder Meet-up, Speaker: Building your startup
PITME Labs, Mentor: Startup Demo Day
Forté Forum, Moderator: MBA Alumnae Panel
The App Retreat, The App Economy
B2B Startup Weekend, Judge: 54 hour startup competition
TiECon, Panelist: How to get seed funding for your startup?
IBM SmartCamp, Judge: Global Startup Competition Finals
Girls Rising, Panelist and Pitch Judge
Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business, Panelist: The Keys to Creating Innovative Products
Alchemist Accelerator, Judge and mentor
Department of Homeland Security IT Security Entrepreneurs’ Forum (ITSEF), Panelist: Results that Matter – Women IT Entrepreneurs
Pipeline Fellowship, Panelist: Structuring the Deal
Carnegie Mellon University – Silicon Valley, Keynote: Commencement Address
G8 Tech Conference and DNA Summit, Panelist: Innovation Lab in the Sky
Grace Hopper Celebration for Women in Computing, Panelist: Why Investing in Women Founders and Entrepreneurs Makes Business Sense
85 Broads 2020 Vision, Guest Speaker: Opportunistic Investing for the Next Decade
The National Academies Board on Science, Technology, and Economic Policy, Panelist: Early-stage Capital in the United States
Astia Entrepreneur Program in Silicon Valley, Panelist: Own Your Financials
Carnegie Mellon Tepper School of Business, Featured Speaker: James R. Swartz Entrepreneurial Leadership Series
Vator Splash, Judge: Early-stage Pitch Competition
Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, US Department of State Delegate: Women and the Economy Summit
Intuit Apps Showcase, Panelist and Competition Judge: Applications for SMBs