SN 2 - #11B Venture Capital Insights: AI, Financing, and Future Trends

Welcome to another episode of The 7 in 7 Show with Zack Ellison, which features full length interviews with the world’s leading investors in innovation.

Episode #11B of Season 2 features Priscilla Guevara, General Partner at Science, where she has evolved the Los Angeles-based fund from a studio into a multi-asset investment firm. By leading partnerships and communications across the institutional investor network, corporate partners and portfolio, she has bridged the gap between investors and partners in innovation.

Science’s startup studio has built household names including Dollar Shave Club, MeUndies, and Liquid Death. With Science as the lead investor, Priscilla was instrumental in Liquid Death’s success in fundraising. The brand’s valuation as of March 2024 is $1.4 billion. Priscilla also leads structuring and capital formation efforts for new investment vehicles, while expanding Science’s investment platform that includes early-stage venture funds, rolling funds, co-invest follow-on as well as late-stage SPVs.

She is the Founder of SWIPE – Senior Women in Private Equity Group – with 3,000+ global members including institutional investors and operators from Blackstone, KKR, and Temasek, among others. SWIPE also has chapters in Asia-Pacific, South and Central America, EMEA, Canada, and the UK.

She’s also chair of the Development Committee of the James Beard Foundation and has served on the board of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (NYC Chapter). She has also been a speaker for conferences such as Visionary Voices by All Raise, which works to amplify female and non-binary voices at tech events and in the media, as well as SuperReturn International, Private Equity International, and LA Tech Week.

In this episode, Zack Ellison and Priscilla Guevara discuss:

1.     Priscilla Guevara’s Journey: From Wall Street to a general partner at Science, showcasing the transition from finance to venture capital.

2.     Science’s Role as a Venture Studio: How they help early-stage companies scale, build, and exit successfully.

3.     Investment Highlights: Discussion on major investments like Liquid Death, highlighting Science’s knack for picking unique consumer brands.

4.     Cultural Shifts in Consumer Behavior: How Science leverages cultural insights to make strategic investments.

5.     The Significance of Referrals in Sourcing Deals: Importance of network and reputation in the venture capital industry.

6.     The Strategic Use of Consumer Authenticity and Virality: How these elements are crucial in brand building and product success.

7.     Educational Backgrounds of Founders: Discussing the influence of academic backgrounds on venture success and the networking benefits it brings.

Guest Information:

– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/priscillaguevara/

– Website: https://www.science-inc.com/home.html

LEARN MORE:

– Zack Ellison: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/zackellison/

– The 7 in 7 Show: ⁠https://7in7show.com/

– A.R.I. Venture Debt: ⁠https://www.arivc.com/

A.R.I. is an investment manager focused on providing growth capital to premier startups in underserved regions and sectors in North America. Learn more at www.arivc.com.