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Christine Concepción
Founder, Chief Executive Officer at xipi
Christine Concepción is a first-generation Latina entrepreneur and venture capitalist with extensive experience in the financial and technology sectors.123 She founded and served as the CEO of xipi, an EdTech/FinTech startup, from May 2019 to January 2021.12 Concepción holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a Bachelor of Arts in Film & Media Studies with a minor in Economics from Columbia University.1
Career Highlights
- Current Roles: Managing Director at Fifth Star Funds and Venture Partner at Ganas Ventures (both since March 2023 and October 2022, respectively)1
- Previous Positions:
- Managing Director at gener8tor (October 2022 - March 2023)
- Principal and Venture Partner at VU Venture Partners (September 2021 - Present)
- Financial Advisory Services at AlixPartners (June 2016 - April 2018)
- Content Acquisition & Business Development at TV4 Entertainment, Inc (March 2015 - April 2016)
- Financial Analyst at Laidlaw & Company UK Ltd. (August 2012 - September 2014)12
Entrepreneurial Venture
As the founder and CEO of xipi, Concepción focused on financial literacy education. She aimed to address the gap in financial education in schools, noting that students are more likely to learn music than understand financial concepts like Roth IRAs.5
Recent Update
As of June 3, 2024, Concepción announced that she is exploring new opportunities for 2025, following 15 years of self-employment, business building, and leading innovative ventures.4
Highlights
Funny story: A couple years ago I was on a call w Michael Duda, and he encouraged me to show up with whatever color my hair was that day (it was blue).
Since that day, I have almost always shown up with my hair and rarely hide it. It has now become a calling card. I’m easily found in a crowd, founders feel more comfortable around me bc I don’t look like a stuffy, boring investor and every once in a while I get a message like this and it makes my day.
He prob thinks this was an insignificant commment, but that was a turning point; a succesful person gave me permission to show up authentically. Which is actually what I spoke about on the panel last night.
You don’t need anyone’s validation, but if you have the opportunity to tell someone to go for it- even it’s as silly as hair color, go for it.
Also shout out to Ashley Floto and Good Dye Young for making all my unicorn rainbow hair dreams come true time and time again.
Thank you TechCrunch for giving me the opportunity to dicusss the importance of funding underrepresented founders at the earliest stage, our white paper findings and more of what we do at Fifth Star Funds.
