Stefania Hau: A Supernova in Venture Capital
Did you know that only 2% of all Venture Capital funding in Europe goes to female founded businesses?
Stefania Hau, alumni of the Women2Invest activity within the Supernovas programme, is one of the few women working at a Venture Capital fund in Europe.
Graduated with a BSc in IT & Business from UCL and an MSc in Big Data & AI Solutions from the University of Barcelona, Stefania is currently working at Nauta, a venture capital firm that invest in early-stage B2B software companies.
Having worked with diverse teams to help develop early-stage products and to engage closely with founders (including the opportunity to live and work in Silicon Valley) steered her interest towards VC.
So, the background in business and engineering, combined with her startup experience, have been instrumental in equipping her with the necessary skills for transitioning into a career in VC.
The Pivotal Bridge
Despite her interest in joining a VC, she felt somehow discouraged by the fact that she didn’t have prior understanding of the ecosystem, and the number of resources available were overwhelming.
Her Master’s degree Entrepreneurship professor, Ana Seculi shared with her some initiatives including Supernovas.
“I identified most with Supernovas because firstly, it was addressed to women, and secondly, it was bringing Investment Professionals from across Europe to share their knowledge. I saw this as a massive opportunity for me to build my network and connect with like-minded women in the ecosystem. Hence, I applied, and the rest is history!”
An Encouraging Experience
Supernovas played an essential role in pinpointing the perfect fit for her skills and interests “I remember discussing with Ana Alcaine from EIT, the backbone of Supernovas really, about different opportunities during and after the end of Supernovas, and she always encouraged me to go for the role that suited my interests most.”
Naturally, her background in business and engineering, combined with her startup experience, has been instrumental in equipping Stefania with the necessary skills for transitioning into a career in VC.
“Fundamentally, the Supernovas programme served as a pivotal bridge connecting my previous experience to the VC world.”
The VC Ecosystem
“My technical background naturally drove me towards deep tech-focused funds” she says, “I believe this is crucial when starting a career in VC, especially as a female, because the only way you can differentiate in this space is through your area of expertise.”
A significant take-away from the programme was developing lasting connections with influential women in the deep tech and entrepreneurship ecosystem, who have since become both friends and mentors to her.
“This experience opened doors to the VC ecosystem for me, enriching my understanding with invaluable mentorship, deep industry knowledge, amazing support, and essential connections.”
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