
Shared Values Help VCs, Founders Stay Agile
07/30/20 • 34 min
1 Listener
On this episode of Access and Opportunity, we welcome investor Jesse Draper, founding partner of Halogen Ventures. With Halogen Ventures, Jesse has committed to investing in early stage consumer technology startups that have a woman as a member of the founding team. We also hear from one of those founders, Esther Crawford, the co-founder and CEO of Squad, an online platform that helps connect people all over the world through screen-sharing. Jesse and Esther take us on a journey from their very first encounter, to their individual commitments going into the deal, and to their respective shifts in priorities during COVID-19. Come on and join us for the ride.
https://www.morganstanley.com/what-we-do/inclusive-innovation-and-opportunity
The guest speakers are neither employees nor affiliated with Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC. (“Morgan Stanley”). The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley. The information and figures contained herein has been obtained from sources outside of Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley makes no representations or guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of information or data from sources outside of Morgan Stanley. Morgan Stanley is not responsible for the information or data contained in this podcast.
This podcast does not provide individually tailored investment advice and is not a solicitation of any offer to buy or sell any security or other financial instrument or to participate in any trading strategy. It has been prepared without regard to the individual financial circumstances and objectives of persons who receive it.
© 2020 Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Members SIPC.
On this episode of Access and Opportunity, we welcome investor Jesse Draper, founding partner of Halogen Ventures. With Halogen Ventures, Jesse has committed to investing in early stage consumer technology startups that have a woman as a member of the founding team. We also hear from one of those founders, Esther Crawford, the co-founder and CEO of Squad, an online platform that helps connect people all over the world through screen-sharing. Jesse and Esther take us on a journey from their very first encounter, to their individual commitments going into the deal, and to their respective shifts in priorities during COVID-19. Come on and join us for the ride.
https://www.morganstanley.com/what-we-do/inclusive-innovation-and-opportunity
The guest speakers are neither employees nor affiliated with Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC. (“Morgan Stanley”). The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley. The information and figures contained herein has been obtained from sources outside of Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley makes no representations or guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of information or data from sources outside of Morgan Stanley. Morgan Stanley is not responsible for the information or data contained in this podcast.
This podcast does not provide individually tailored investment advice and is not a solicitation of any offer to buy or sell any security or other financial instrument or to participate in any trading strategy. It has been prepared without regard to the individual financial circumstances and objectives of persons who receive it.
© 2020 Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Members SIPC.
Previous Episode

Keeping It Black: 'Cultural Competence' Is Key
Welcome to Access and Opportunity, Season 6. This season, we are looking at the relationships behind the deal. We'll be talking to women venture capitalists who are working to change the funding landscape and a founder of one of their portfolio companies. In this episode, we welcome venture capitalist Kesha Cash, who has spent nearly a decade focused on impact investing. Currently, Kesha serves as the Founder and General Partner of Impact America Fund, the largest black-women-led impact VC firm in the U.S., and a fund that invests with a racial equity lens. We also welcome Diishan Imira, Founder and CEO of Mayvenn, the technology platform that not only provides high-quality beauty products, but that also empowers beauty professionals to grow their business, while providing their clients with exceptional customer support.
Kesha and Impact America Fund first invested in Mayvenn back in 2014. Since then, Mayvenn has become the fund's largest investment. Kesha and Diishan share with us the importance of investing in the black small-business community, the ways in which they've managed to build a healthy relationship as entrepreneur and investor, and the strategic decisions that guided them through the unexpected impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Come on and join us for the ride.
https://www.morganstanley.com/what-we-do/inclusive-innovation-and-opportunity
The guest speakers are neither employees nor affiliated with Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC. (“Morgan Stanley”). The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley. The information and figures contained herein has been obtained from sources outside of Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley makes no representations or guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of information or data from sources outside of Morgan Stanley. Morgan Stanley is not responsible for the information or data contained in this podcast.
This podcast does not provide individually tailored investment advice and is not a solicitation of any offer to buy or sell any security or other financial instrument or to participate in any trading strategy. It has been prepared without regard to the individual financial circumstances and objectives of persons who receive it.
© 2020 Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Members SIPC.
Next Episode

Opening the Door for a New Set of Angels
On this episode of Access and Opportunity we welcome investor Natalia Oberti Noguera, founder and CEO of Pipeline Angels. Pipeline is changing the face of angel investing by lowering the barriers to entry and bringing more non-traditional investors into the angel ecosystem, providing capital for more women, non-binary and femme entrepreneurs. Also joining us is the co-founder and CEO of the maternal health startup Mahmee, Melissa Hanna. As the daughter of an obstetrics nurse, Melissa grew up knowing the challenges that women, and specifically women of color, face when confronting the healthcare system. Pipeline Angels first invested in Mahmee in 2015—serving as its friends & family round—and additional members participated in Mahmee's 2019 follow-on round.
https://www.morganstanley.com/what-we-do/inclusive-innovation-and-opportunity
The guest speakers are neither employees nor affiliated with Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC. (“Morgan Stanley”). The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of Morgan Stanley. The information and figures contained herein has been obtained from sources outside of Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley makes no representations or guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of information or data from sources outside of Morgan Stanley. Morgan Stanley is not responsible for the information or data contained in this podcast.
This podcast does not provide individually tailored investment advice and is not a solicitation of any offer to buy or sell any security or other financial instrument or to participate in any trading strategy. It has been prepared without regard to the individual financial circumstances and objectives of persons who receive it.
© 2020 Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Members SIPC.
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