Social Impact: Shiza Shahid on co-founding the $1B Malala Fund to transforming kitchenware with Our Place

In this episode of Breaking Precedent, host Leah Solivan is joined by a Pakistani-born social activist, angel investor, and co-founder of the Malala Fund. Shiza shares her journey from organizing relief efforts in Pakistan to co-founding a billion-dollar nonprofit for girls’ education. She discusses her work with Malala Yousafzai, breaking barriers in the venture capital space, and building OurPlace, a direct-to-consumer kitchenware brand rooted in inclusivity and purpose. Shiza reflects on her upbringing, challenges she’s faced, and her passion for empowering marginalized communities worldwide.

Guest Bio and Links:

Shiza Shahid is a Pakistani-born social activist, angel investor, and entrepreneur who has pushed the boundaries in every aspect of her life. She co-founded the Malala Fund, a multi-billion dollar global nonprofit focused on ensuring girls have access to 12 years of free education. She also launched her own Now Ventures, investing in purpose-driven startups, and is the co-founder of OurPlace, a direct-to-consumer kitchenware and home goods brand known for its focus on creating multifunctional, aesthetically pleasing, and inclusive kitchen products. 

Listeners can learn more about Shiza Shahia at IG @shiza and on X @shiza

Resources: 

Malala Fund

OurPlace

He Named Me Malala

Show Notes: 

• (0:00) Intro
• (0:25) Leah introduces guest, Shiza Shahid to Breaking Precedent 
• (2:45) Breaking precedents - Shiza's journey
• (4:30) Growing up in Pakistan - education and family influence
• (7:20) Parental support and benevolent neglect
• (9:30) Protesting for Rule of Law
• (12:00) The importance of protests for youth
• (17:00) Journey to Stanford University
• (20:00) College experience and loneliness
• (23:00) Meeting Malala and organizing the summer camp
• (28:45) Malala’s shooting and recovery 
• (37:00) Transition to entrepreneurship - NOW Ventures
• (40:00) Purpose-Driven startups
• (43:00) OurPlace - a brand for inclusive cooking
• (48:30) The Traditionware Collection
• (53:00) Ending questions and closing thoughts 

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Leah Solivan is the host of Breaking Precedent, a podcast that explores the stories of innovators who are pushing societal boundaries and setting new precedents in their fields. Leah is General Partner at Fuel Capital, where she invests in early-stage companies across consumer technology, hardware, education, marketplaces, and retail. Leah has 15 years of experience building and creating technology products that have reached millions of people around the globe. She started her career at IBM as an engineer in the software group, working on Lotus Notes and Domino. In 2008, Leah founded TaskRabbit, the leading on-demand service marketplace in the world.

Connect with Leah:

Website: breakingprecedent.com/ 

Instagram: @labunleashed

X: @labunleashed