Lily Bernicker

I cuuldn?t be more excited to join Collaborative Fund as an associate in the New York office. I come to the wonderful world of VC by way of consulting, but I started my career at Ashoka, a social enterprise accelerator, where I first worked closely with entrepreneurs who see the world differently. With a focus on Latin America, I searched for new ways to address tough social challenges, and came away convinced of the special role of startups in improving quality of life and well-being around the world. From Ashoka, I joined FSG, an advisory firm founded by Michael Porter, to support companies in creating ?Shared Value.? I advised public companies, in industries ranging from pharmaceuticals to media and entertainment, on how to deploy investments capable of boosting profits, while increasing access to vital products among underserved populations. Shared Value could be considered a cousin to Collaborative Fund's original concept: companies that sit at the intersection of for-profit and for-good are positioned to become the most successful businesses. The belief that people ? founders, team members, consumers ? want to contribute to a better shared future, explains why we seek to build truly collaborative relationships with entrepreneurs and brings a focus to our search for innovative companies. As a result, Collaborative has built an exceptional portfolio of companies that I believe in. Impossible Foods and Modern Meadow are just a few that are making it easy for people to make choices that are better for themselves and better for the world. I'm looking forward to exploring the next generation of consumer businesses with Collaborative Fund, and am excited to be in such good company.