Annie Riley

This is a catchall company for the doers, the thinkers, and the innovators.

At Fort Light, we coach managers and help startups get the people piece right. People management is hard in general –– and it can be even harder at a startup, where change and speed can feel like the only constants. Startup manager roles are high stakes (and can be high stress!) but often lack the support or role modeling that ambitious managers need to succeed. Managers come to us to learn the mindset and skills they need to be great leaders - and to find more ease, learning and fun in their jobs. In our group coaching program, managers connect with peers at other companies, learn from expert coaches, and practice real challenges. We support managers at all levels, whether they are just starting out or are experienced leaders looking to hone their craft, and across all roles and functions at the company. Weve trained over 400 managers from 50+ top startups, including Webflow, Guild Education, Vercel, Breather, NoRedInk, Redbubble, Hipcamp, Scratchpad and Turo. If youre curious to learn more, reach out to us and well be delighted to connect.

First Round is a venture capital firm that works with founders exclusively at the earliest stages of company building, often when all they have is an “imagine if.” We fill in where we can until the team is filled out, tackling crucial early hiring and equipping those who are great at building product with the skills to sell it, too. By getting the foundational firsts right, we increase the odds of finding extreme product-market fit. Our founders’ “imagine ifs” have turned into companies like Notion, Roblox, Uber, and Square.

Outschool is where kids love learning! Our innovative education platform offers engaging, small-group classes online. Outschool gives kids the unique opportunity to explore their interests in-depth with classes taught via live video by experienced, independent teachers. In addition to working directly with learners and families, Outschool partners with companies to offer a unique benefit and with schools to significantly expand their enrichment, tutoring, and elective offerings. With Outschool for Employers, employees can focus on work and themselves knowing their kids are engaged and exploring their interests in-depth through interactive classes taught live via video by experienced teachers. With Outschool for schools, district and school leaders can offer unique elective classes or just-right small-group tutoring sessions without having to find the budget to hire hundreds of additional teachers.

This is a catchall company for the doers, the thinkers, and the innovators.

NewSchools is a venture philanthropy that builds a better education system by connecting people, resources, and ideas. We bridge the gap between those with capital and those with the courage to put that capital to work on the frontlines of education. We believe that philanthropy can advance education in a more equitable, collaborative, and courageous way—and we’re proving it every day. Learn more at www.newschools.org.