étre Venture Capital, a new firm based in Santa Cruz, has a goal to increase venture capital investment outside of Silicon Valley and major metropolitan areas, and among underserved communities, including those led by women and minorities. étre seeks to bring capital to innovative startups that solve the some of the most important problems of our times.

étre recently co-led a $3 million Series A funding round for Obatala Sciences, a biotechnology company that helps to accelerate bringing therapies to market for obesity, diabetes, and cancer by providing research scientists in pharmaceutical companies, biotech, academia, and government laboratories with models that more accurately mimic human biology and pathology. Their solutions also drive drug success rates and decrease the cost to bring therapeutics to market.

étre was joined by Ochsner Lafayette General Healthcare Innovation Fund II, Benson Capital Partners, Elevate Capital Fund, and The Hackett-Robertson-Tobe Group. The funding will be used to further the commercialization of first-of-its-kind, research-enabling products and a platform for drug discovery and development.

étre has invested in three companies in addition to Obatala:

1. Hexas Biomass produces a biofuel and fiber that in turn produce a carbon negative source of fuel that replaces wood, food crops, and fossil fuels and can be used in energy production, and for structural products such as fiberboard. They have created an ideal biomass source to produce advanced biofuels such as "Green Hydrogen."

2. WVN and WVN FOR YOU: both Santa Cruz-based, sister clothing brands with high sustainability and fair trade certifications that offer timeless classics, both upscale and more casual (sold in boutiques and at 450+ Whole Foods stores). The fourth company,

3. Portico Wellness: addresses the inefficiencies of healthcare access with a platform that connects patients and providers.

étre was founded by Jennifer Kuan, PhD, an assistant professor of economics and entrepreneurship at CSU Monterey Bay, and Hillary Talbot, who also founded Sail, where she assists entrepreneurs in raising capital. Kuan and Talbot believe that creative ideas are going unfunded because many entrepreneurs lack the skills to raise capital or aren't well-networked in elite circles. 


Kuan's academic research on the failure of regions trying to emulate Silicon Valley led to étre and the development of a course to teach women executives the history of venture capital and demonstrates that collaboration among investors and entrepreneurs was key to the development of VC.

Because women received only 2% of VC funding last year (Forbes, June 21, 2022), the goal of the class, which is offered at no charge, is to prepare women to start VC funds, invest as limited partners, or to raise venture funding.


Those interested in taking a class or connecting with étre may email: connect@etrevc.com. être also offers equity and debt financing, pre-seed, seed, and series funding, along with supportive advisory services.