#144: Innovation in heavy industry, AI & automation, sustainability, women in VC with Melissa Cheong
Description
Melissa Cheong is a Managing Partner of Blackhorn Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on catalysing and scaling industrial resource efficiency investment opportunities. In this role, she balances her time between managing the firm’s strategic goals, partnering, and working with talented and inspiring portfolio company founders, and developing the firm’s investment strategy for current and future funds.
Melissa has over 20 years of industry experience, with her most recent roles focused on a range of sustainable investment opportunities. Prior to
Blackhorn, Melissa was Chief Investment Officer at ZOMA Capital, the private family office of Ben and Lucy Ana Walton, and held various positions at Treehouse Investments, Imprint Capital (now Goldman Sachs-Imprint), Plainfield Asset Management and Deutsche Bank. Melissa holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Chicago and received an MBA from Columbia Business School, with a concentration in Finance and International Development.
We cover the following:
00:10 Meet Melissa Cheong: A journey in venture capital
02:33 Melissa's investment philosophy and career Insights
05:40 The role of family offices in sustainable Investment
07:51 Understanding risk and building effective teams
11:26 Blackhorn Ventures: focus on resource efficiency
15:05 AI and digital infrastructure in heavy industry
17:43 Current market challenges and opportunities
26:34 Supporting portfolio companies and success stories
31:08 Gender diversity in venture capital
45:42 Engaging more women LPs in venture
52:49 Closing comments
United States
