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Nisha Dua
Managing Partner & Co-Founder of BBG Ventures
Nisha Dua is the Managing Partner and Co-Founder of BBG Ventures, an early-stage venture capital fund based in New York City that focuses on investing in companies led by underestimated founders, particularly women. She co-founded BBG Ventures in 2014 alongside Susan Lyne, aiming to support female entrepreneurs who are transforming various industries, including health, education, and consumer products. The fund is recognized for its commitment to investing in diverse founders and has backed over 70 startups, including notable names like Spring Health, Zola, and The Wing.125
Dua's career spans over a decade in media, technology, strategy, and law. Before venturing into capital investment, she served as the General Manager of AOL’s millennial site, Cambio, which she re-launched to empower young women through technology. She also founded the #BUILTBYGIRLS initiative, designed to connect young women with professionals in tech to inspire and prepare them for careers in the industry. Her earlier roles include being Chief of Staff for the AOL Brand Group and working as a management consultant at Bain & Company, as well as an M&A lawyer at Blake Dawson in Australia.134
Dua's educational background includes a degree from the University of New South Wales in Australia. She is also noted for her advocacy in promoting women in technology and entrepreneurship, positioning herself as a mentor and advisor to many startups.125
Highlights
1/ Today we’re proud to announce @BBGVentures 2nd institutional fund – a $60M early-stage fund backing overlooked founders who are building for the Polycultural Future of America. Read on for more on our research into the minds and fundamental needs of +2000 Americans 🧵
Thx @_emmahinchliffe @FortuneMagazine for sharing the news: https://t.co/gCPWRFfeeq
For founders: to cheerlead or not to cheerlead? I think the answer is both. Investing in a company is about more than giving a blank check and saying, "go you good thing." It's a fine line to walk when pitching to back someone's company: you're wholly optimistic about the opportunity, but once you invest there is a healthy tension between that optimism and realism. IMO it's the job of the investor to help the founder think about downside, and cover all their bases. If I take money from someone I respect, I also expect direct honesty so I can look around corners, iterate faster and plan better. At BBG Ventures we love founders who do too. We'll always be your cheerleaders, but love includes tough love.
Here's how we work at BBGV:
Make change and make money. Hand in hand. Venture capital kindles the future. We want to make it matter.
Diversity is personal to us. We started BBG Ventures because the problems we face today can’t be solved by same-same thinking.
All in and high conviction. We lead or co-lead rounds and help find the right investors to round out your syndicate.
Here for you on the regular. We’ll meet up frequently as part of a Year One Sprint to get you leverage where you need it – from brand strategy and business model to recruiting and PR.
Connections get you there faster. We’ll share the network we’ve built over decades – friends and allies, both old and new.
Always think ahead. As you set milestones, we’ll help shape a compelling story and find the right investors for your next chapter.
Tough love. Founders need support, but they also need honesty, feedback, and the occasional reality check.
#Investing #Entrepreneurship #BBGVentures #Startups
