Community Spotlight: Nadia Lachman — Unleashing the Power of Women in Venture Capital

Get ready to meet Nadia Lachman: a fierce force shaking up the world of venture capital. Armed with a health science background and a fiery determination to empower women founders and investors, Nadia's journey from the lab to the land of investment capital is nothing short of a blockbuster. 

Join us as we dive into her story, applaud her remarkable achievements, and get a sneak peek at the thrilling adventures that lie ahead in her venture capital journey.

Nadia's Journey

Nadia's educational escapade is a testament to her unyielding spirit and adaptability. She kicked off her academic career in health science and biotechnology. Initially eyeing med school, she soon reached a crossroad that would define her destiny.

However, it was during her Master of Biomedical Technology program that her exciting journey took off. In this phase, Nadia applied her knowledge about the intersection of science and business to complete a capstone project on an innovative solution to a complex medical problem. From ideation to commercialization, she created a conceptual novel therapeutic to slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease.Things got even spicier when she had to role-play pitching her brainchild to a room brimming with investors. That's where the business bug bit her, and she was never the same again.

Following that, she made a detour into the pharmaceutical world, donning the hat of a quality assurance analyst for livestock medicine. It fit the bill but wasn't quite sparking her passion… So, she took the plunge and embarked on an MBA adventure that would unknowingly connect her to the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) program, a buzzworthy Sci/Tech accelerator.

Her star shone brighter when her CDL course instructor, George Damian, opened a door to the innovative world of VC where she was later offered a position at one of Canada’s top early-stage venture capital firms, Panache Ventures. As of June 2022, she's been a crucial part of the team.

Nadia's rock-solid commitment to the women's economy transcends her 9-to-5 gig. She's a Chapter Lead for Canadian Women in Venture Capital, along with the dynamic Chelsea Gillett from The51. Together, they orchestrate engaging meetups in Calgary, providing women in VC an opportunity to connect, share their experiences, and build a supportive community.

That's not all! She's also part of the magic behind the curtain of Alberta Female Founders, Funders, and Fortifiers (ABF4). This crew cooks up panels and fireside chats to stir up connections between hundreds of women in tech.

Nadia leads one of the VCAA education committees, offering their members a treasure trove of learning opportunities. She's passionate about ecosystem inclusivity and hosts events that ditch the humdrum cocktails, uniting founders, investors, and ecosystem allies, all while giving a shout out to the power of human capital in venture capital.

Nadia’s remarkable journey, from growing up in a neighbourhood where opportunities were scarcer than hen's teeth to snagging a seat at the table of one of the top Canadian venture capital firms, is a testament to her resilience, grit, and her passion for empowering women entrepreneurs and investors.

What's New

Nadia's world has done a complete 180. This past year has been a whirlwind of a brand-new career, and she's taken on more initiatives than you can count. It's been a wild ride, and she's feeling excited to help boost economic growth and diversification.

What's Next

Nadia's radar is locked onto growth. After a year of hardcore networking and familiarizing herself with the VC landscape, she's gearing up to dive deep into the technical nitty-gritty of financial modeling and due diligence. But she's got her heart set on keeping the human side of venture capital front and center. She's on a mission to decode the pain points of women founders and give them the support they truly need from their investors.

What Nadia’s Excited About Right Now

Nadia's energy isn't confined to her work life. She's stoked about weaving her passions and hobbies, like boxing and dancing, into networking events. She’s already hosted a boxing focused event and couldn’t stress enough how much more fun it was than your regular mixers. 

Nadia is committed to bringing a generous sprinkle of humanity to the mix and making networking way more fun, all while forging connections that are next-level deep. 

Advice to Your Past Self & Other Women

Nadia's got some golden nuggets of wisdom. She's all about the power of habits and building systems that propel you forward, even when you're not entirely sure where you're headed. She's living proof that you don't always need to know your final destination; you just have to start moving in the general direction of what you want, and good things will come your way. She emphasizes pursuing the things that will build you up, like education.

Her journey from science to venture capital taught her the importance of taking risks, making decisions based on principles, and trusting your gut. 

Nadia has an open invitation for anyone who wants to chat about health science, business, hip-hop, boxing, music, entertainment,, or the exhilarating journey of being a woman in the industry—just hit her up on LinkedIn.

We're also thrilled to have Nadia as an Alumni Lead in Cohort 6 of the Financial Feminism Investing Lab. This is where the future gets even brighter!