Monique Woodard

Monique Woodard is a prominent venture capitalist and entrepreneur, currently serving as a Venture Partner at 500 Startups. In this role, she focuses on investing in early-stage startups, particularly those led by Black and Latino founders, recognizing the significant purchasing power of these demographics in the U.S., which she believes is key to the next emerging market.12

Woodard is also the Founder and Executive Director of Black Founders, a nonprofit organization aimed at increasing the number of successful Black entrepreneurs in the tech industry. The organization conducts hackathons and workshops at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), fostering a new generation of tech founders across various U.S. cities.14

Before her venture capital career, Woodard was one of the first Innovation Fellows for the San Francisco Mayor’s Office, where she worked on projects aimed at using technology to improve government services and address the digital divide in underserved communities. She has also launched several startups, including Speak Chic, a mobile app that helps users pronounce fashion brand names correctly.145

In addition to her work at 500 Startups, Woodard has recently founded Cake Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on demographic change, which has raised $17 million to invest in early-stage companies that cater to shifting consumer demographics.23 She is recognized for her deep understanding of market trends and her commitment to supporting underrepresented founders in the tech ecosystem.