Amish Jani W99 WG00

39; founder and managing director, FirstMark Capital; recognized by a CB Insights/New York Times report as a Top 100 Venture Capitalist globally

Toughest obstacle you’ve overcome? Raising a fund after the Great Recession of 2008. Our prospective investors valued consistency and longevity. In contrast, we were a new firm with a new approach and a portfolio still in development. It took lots of effort, some leaps of faith, and a little luck to make it happen.

Goals for 2018 and beyond? I am pushing hard to create more space to think versus reacting to the real-time fire hose that can fill most days. Over the long run, I’m excited to continue growing FirstMark into a brand that entrepreneurs trust for excellence, dedication, and integrity.