Shanell Farmer, MBA

VU Venture Partners is a multi-stage venture capital fund focusing on Consumer, Enterprise, FinTech, Frontier, Healthcare, and PropTech

Backstage Capital is a venture capital fund investing in the best startups led by underrepresented founders in the U.S.

Education transforms lives. First Book is building a world where every child has access to a quality education. We work to remove barriers to education and level the playing field for kids in need. At the heart of our work are the 600,000+ members of the First Book Network, the largest online community of individual educators, professionals and volunteers dedicated to supporting children living in low-income communities across North America. This Network is the key to creating lasting change. Through our research arm, First Book Research & Insights, we conduct studies that aggregate their voices to identify challenges, needs, and solutions. To address their needs, we provide free and low-cost books, resources and access to leading experts through the First Book Marketplace, which uses aggregated buying power to support their work. Founded in Washington D.C. in 1992 as a nonprofit social enterprise, First Book is dedicated to eliminating barriers to learning and inspiring young minds. Learn more at firstbook.org and visit our award-winning eCommerce website at fbmarketplace.org. 

VU Venture Partners is a multi-stage venture capital fund focusing on Consumer, Enterprise, FinTech, Frontier, Healthcare, and PropTech