The Crunchbase “Female Founder Series,” is a series of stories, Q&As, and thought-leadership pieces from glass-ceiling-smashers who overcame the odds and are now leading successful companies.
Jo Marini is the founder and CEO of MOTHER SUPERIOR, a venture and social purpose foundry that is redefining and redesigning venture capital. Focused on early-stage entrepreneurs, the foundry’s novel approach to VC is designed with exponential success as a feature, and offers founders a full suite of services, operations, funding and long-term support. Founders retain majority equity and generate opportunities for others as values-based investors in future social purpose ventures.
Marini was raised by an extended community of immigrants who shaped her world view of equity, opportunity and economic agency. She is an eternal optimist who delights in critical inquisition of the status quo.
In this Q&A Marini shares her experience building MOTHER SUPERIOR and encourages others to examine and challenge structural inequality in the VC and startup space.
Q: What were you doing before MOTHER SUPERIOR?
I’ve never been a fan of following straight lines, and the life that led me to founding MOTHER SUPERIOR in 2019 zig-zags accordingly. I graduated from the United States Air Force Academy, learned movement therapy for Cirque du Soleil performers in Las Vegas, worked in innovation roles for mid-sized agencies, and won awards for launching the first sustainable food truck and a day restaurant in Colorado Springs. Each step taught me something that informed the next, all the way until I set (Read more…)