Charu Sharma

Charu Sharma is an accomplished entrepreneur, investor, and mentor based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Here are some key details about her background and career:

Professional Experience

• Entrepreneur in Residence at SignalFire, an early-stage VC fund
• Founder and former CEO of NextPlay.ai, an AI-powered mentorship platform
• Previously worked at LinkedIn for three years in enterprise sales and strategy

Entrepreneurial Journey

Charu has been an entrepreneur since college, founding two startups from her dorm room. While at LinkedIn, she started a women's mentorship program as a side project, which eventually inspired her to launch NextPlay.ai. The company provided AI-driven mentorship solutions to major clients like Square, Lyft, and Splunk.

Mentorship and Advisory Roles

• Mentor-in-Residence at 500 Startups (2020)
• Mentor for programs like Techstars, Alchemist Accelerator, and Entrepreneur First
• Advisory board member for organizations like the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center

Investing Activities

• Founding Limited Partner of Neythri Futures Fund, a $10 million VC fund focused on diverse founding teams
• Venture scout for Afore Capital
• Advisor for several VC firms including January Ventures and Chameleon Ventures

Education and Background

• Studied economics and physics at Mount Holyoke College
• Originally from India, moved to the U.S. for university

Notable Achievements

• Named to Forbes' "30 Under 30" list in 2022
• Author of multiple books and creator of a documentary film
• Founded a nonprofit initiative to educate one million women on starting businesses

Charu is known for her passion for mentorship, diversity in tech, and supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs. Her experiences as a founder, operator, and investor have made her a valuable mentor and advisor in the startup ecosystem.