Women in Venture Panel and Networking Event
The fourth semi-annual Women in Venture event gathered founders, investors, and allies at UC Santa Cruz on September 17. Four UCSC-affiliated startups showcased, and a Hilary Bryant–moderated panel tackled closing the funding gap, elevating female check-writers, and building intentional mentorship. This article submitted by May Roen.
The 4th Semi-annual Women in Venture Panel and Networking Event took place on Thursday, September 17th. It brought together visionary founders, investors, and ecosystem builders to highlight and discuss a crucial mission: supporting women founders and investors while building resilient, action-oriented networks. The event connected local and regional women and allies, continued the conversation about the future of technology and venture capital, and explored how we can create more opportunities for women, strengthen collaboration, and build meaningful networks and pathways into the field.
This event also highlighted the power of regional collaboration between the Women in Venture Capital Initiative, UC Santa Cruz, and CSUMB.
Event Highlights & Startup Showcases
UC Santa Cruz Chancellor Cynthia Larive opened the event with inspiring remarks, setting the stage for four stellar UCSC-affiliated companies solving critical real-world challenges:
CalDX: Pioneering a low-dosage X-ray detector that assesses dense tissue for true early detection of breast cancer and calcium screening.
Luvena Health: Delivering an AI-based personalized women’s health platform leveraging hormone and cycle data.
Here For You: Building a comprehensive emergency donation and community support platform.
Stork Labs Medical: Reimagining maternal health with an obstetric device for the 21st century.
Panel Discussion & Key Insights
Following additional introductory remarks by Marylou Shockley (Founding Member, Women in Venture Capital Initiative & Dean Emeritus, CSUMB College of Business), Hilary Bryant moderated an energizing panel.
The conversation addressed the realities of closing the funding gap, elevating female check-writers, and creating intentional mentorship loops. Thank you to our incredible panelists for sharing their wisdom and playbooks:
Alicia Hernández Arriaga – Investment Manager, Seabird Ventures
Nicole Gessl – Vice President, Innovation Banking, Fifth Third Bank
Reem Mahrat – Founder & CEO, EazeBio
Maggie Nixon – CEO, Capstan Medical
Sophie Reynolds – Senior Associate, Amboy St. Ventures
Pre-event:
Before the event, 15 Women in Venture Capital Initiative members and supporters were invited to a private tour of Wonderfil. Amelia Eichel, Founder & CEO of Wonderfil, had previously been a panelist in the Women in Venture community, and it was amazing to connect with and support a founder from our own community.
About Women in Venture Initiative:
Inspired by Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Economics and Venture Capital Investor Jenny Kuan, her free online classes at CSUMB attracted women from across the region and beyond, bringing together curious women and allies to learn more about Venture Capital and the ecosystem. Marylou Shockley, Dean Emerita and chair of the School of Business at Cal State University Monterey Bay and a Professor of Management and International Business, supported the classes and initiative. After attending several classes and becoming more engaged, Hilary Bryant, Donor Services Director at Community Foundation Santa Cruz County, and May Roen, Fractional CFO and co-founder of Pathogenomix, a Santa Cruz tech start-up, wanted to create a meeting place for women interested in the VC ecosystem. The four founded the Women in Venture Initiative under the IIED at CSUMB.
You can support the initiative by becoming a member here.
Related Articles
Women in Venture Capital Host Evening Panel Event — The preview of this September gathering, framing its goal of widening the Monterey Bay region's networks and opening pathways for more women into venture and entrepreneurship.
Free Venture Capital 101 for Women Course Available — Jenny Kuan's free four-part online course, the spark behind the initiative, walks through how venture capital works and the key roles in the ecosystem.
CSUMB's Women in Venture Capital Initiative — An earlier look at the initiative's mission to give women the knowledge, connections, and resources to break into an industry where female-founded companies drew just 2% of 2021 VC dollars.
Santa Cruz's Capstan Medical Achieves Titan Status With Pioneering Robotic Heart Valve Procedure — Panelist Maggie Nixon's company completed the first-in-human robotic-assisted mitral valve replacements, a milestone for minimally invasive heart surgery.
Santa Cruz Companies to Watch in 2026 — Capstan Medical and pre-event tour host Wonderfil both make the list of local companies poised for a breakout year.