In This Episode
The multiplicity of the Chingona Ventures’ name is not lost on its founding partner, Samara Mejia Hernandez. For this Venture Capital leader, who emigrated from Mexico at the age of six, it performs as both a mantra and a personal affirmation.
Even as Hernandez recounts the stories of learning English as a child, the Chingona name resonates. She discovered early on that math acted as a universal language when she was challenged by a fifth-grade teacher to pursue accelerated courses. Later, when an older sister pushed her towards an engineering program, Hernandez began to recognize the value of investing in potential.
Today she carries that insight into her investment strategies, embracing the totality of her life experience to benefit the founders in which she sees potential.
Together, Hernandez and Chingona Ventures aim to break the silos of traditional firms by promoting the idea that focusing your energy on the new majority is no longer a radical thought—it’s an investment that makes sense.
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About Our Guest
Samara is the Founding Partner of Chingona Ventures, an institutionally-backed pre-seed stage fund. Chingona Ventures invests in technology and technology-enabled companies all across the U.S. As the Founding Partner, Samara is responsible for deploying institutional capital to fund early-stage companies as well as supporting the portfolio companies. Additionally, Samara is responsible for sourcing investment opportunities and building relationships with early-stage investors as well as other private investors.
Samara holds robust experience as a board member and advisor for various companies– she currently sits on the Board of Advisors for Angeles, Camino Financial, Chicago Blend and serves on the Board of Directors for Suma Wealth, ConnectCareHero, Certiverse and as a Board Observer for Tiny Organics and EarlyBird. She also co-founded the Latinx Founders Collective organization bringing together Latinx founders, investors, and community leaders to support the entrepreneurial / startup ecosystem.
Samara is an active member of Latinx VCs, a San-Francisco based group of experienced venture investors coming together to connect, engage, and foster the Latinx VC ecosystem. Samara is actively involved in the Chicago tech community and passionate about helping underrepresented groups get into STEM education, venture capital and entrepreneurship. Samara holds robust experience with over 15 years of working in public and private markets.
Follow Samara Mejia Hernandez
Website: https://www.chingona.ventures/
LinkedIn: Samara Mejia Hernandez
Twitter: Samara Mejia Hernandez
