Monik Pham & Reem Mobassaleh: Investing with Impact | Episode 18 Nothing Ventured

In this episode of Nothing Ventured, host Aarish Shah sits down with
Monik Pham and Reem Mobassaleh, founding partners of PACT VC. PACT VC is
an early stage VC fund that focuses on backing founders who are solving
key issues facing future generations. The conversation covers topics
such as the importance of diversity in founding a fund, the challenges
of building a fund at a young age, and the integration of commercial and
impact metrics in measuring success. Tune in to learn more about their
journey and strategies for success in the venture capital world.

🕒 Time stamps -
01:01 - Introducing Guests Monique Pham and Reem Wyndham
01:44 - Founding a VC Fund as Women
02:10 - Guests' First Jobs and Early Career Paths
03:18 - Backgrounds Before Founding PACT VC
04:21 - Decision to Launch PACT VC
05:04 - PACT VC's Investment Themes: ABCs
06:11 - Geographical Focus of Investments
06:38 - Recent Investments and Exciting Startups
09:17 - Diversity in Venture Capital and PACT VC's Approach
11:09 - Cognitive Diversity and Team Dynamics
12:03 - Performance Over Gender in VC
13:13 - Supporting Portfolio Companies in Hiring Diverse Talent
14:23 - LPs Investing in Diverse Allocators
17:08 - The Importance of Backing Quality and Diverse GPs
19:14 - Encouraging LPs to Invest in Diverse Managers
21:23 - The Risk of Regression in LP Investments
22:17 - Sponsor Break: Emerge One
22:48 - Concerns About the Future of Diverse Fund Management
24:31 - The Journey of Founding PACT VC
27:09 - The Role of Diversity in Building a VC Fund
29:43 - The Origin Story of PACT VC
31:08 - The Decision to Raise a Fund Together
32:25 - Challenges Faced Since Starting PACT VC
34:11 - The Importance of Team Dynamics in VC
35:38 - Preparing and Validating the Fund's Thesis
37:23 - The Emotional Side of Raising a Fund
38:06 - The Decision to Found PACT VC
39:29 - The ABC Investment Thesis and Impact Metrics
41:08 - Aligning Impact Metrics with Growth Targets
42:14 - The Story of Two Brown Boys
43:21 - The Importance of Co-Founder Fit
44:56 - The Nuances of Founding and Co-Founding
46:10 - The ABC Thesis and Stakeholder Returns
47:14 - Impact Metrics and Commercial Returns
48:08 - Case Study: Insurtech Company Impact
49:06 - Aligning Impact with Business Growth
50:21 - Founder Values and Mission-Driven Businesses
51:39 - Addressing Underrepresented Markets