Katie Neilson is the co-founder and president of Assure, the leading provider of Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs), which are transforming how venture capital investment is structured and administered. As lifelong entrepreneurs, Katie and her co-founder and husband, Jeremy Neilson, quickly realized that the venture capital industry was slow to adopt technological developments despite being focused on funding the most forward-thinking innovations. The irony was not lost on Katie and Jeremy, and they knew by experience that if a business didn't find a way to adapt to market conditions, it would quickly be left behind.
One of Katie's missions is the unlocking of funding for underrepresented founders, including women, people of color, veterans, and those in the LGBTQ+ community. They are seeing barriers crumble through innovation and technology spark growth in these areas for two reasons. First, it has become easier for founders to access investors through virtual events and meeting platforms such as Zoom. The pandemic lockdowns have eliminated the requirement to be physically based in traditional VC hubs, like Silicon Valley. Second, Assure’s SPV product has made it possible for a broader range of investors to now participate in supporting these businesses. Today, founders can affordably find investors that have similar passions to their own and nothing is standing in the way of turning those passions into investment capital.