WOCstar Fund Research Report
Executive Summary
WOCstar Fund is an early-stage investment fund focused on tech innovation and sustainability, specifically targeting women of color founders in overlooked markets. The fund operates as a hands-on, builder-focused investor that actively champions women of color entrepreneurs by investing in their ventures, uplifting their stories, and empowering them to create generational wealth in their communities.
Investment Thesis and Focus
The fund's core mission centers on driving meaningful change by working with inclusive teams and fostering diverse business opportunities. Their investment philosophy is built on the belief that diversity drives innovation, and they specialize in building, incubating, and accelerating diverse business opportunities that reflect the world's rich tapestry of talent and creativity.
Key focus areas include:
- Tech innovation across multiple sectors
- Sustainability and environmental impact
- Inclusive teams and diverse founders
- Building wealth in communities of color
- Creating generational wealth through entrepreneurship
The fund actively invests in companies and technology to create a more sustainable world, with a particular emphasis on supporting women of color entrepreneurs who are often overlooked by traditional venture capital.
Team and Leadership
General Partners
Gayle Jennings-O'Byrne serves as the CEO of Wocstar Capital and Co-Founder & General Partner of Wocstar Fund. She is a prominent voice in the venture capital space, regularly appearing in media outlets including PIX11, CBS News MoneyWatch, and PHL17 News to discuss entrepreneurship, funding insights, and the unique challenges faced by women of color in business. She also hosts the podcast "VCs Off the Record."
Pialy Aditya serves as Co-Founder & General Partner of Wocstar Fund, bringing extensive experience in investment and business development to the team.
Core Team
The fund is supported by a dedicated team including:
- Colleen BatAille, Director of Partnerships & Programs
- Laurel Lefebvre, Community & Impact Manager
- Meah Barrington, Marketing & Communications Specialist
- Matt Williams, Investor & Fund Manager
- Jessica Ndrianasy, Executive Administrator
Venture Partners
The fund benefits from the expertise of venture partners including:
- Monika Mantilla (Altura Capital)
- Christal M. Jackson (Mosaic Genius)
- Erica Minnihan (Reign Ventures)
Advisory Board
The advisory board includes distinguished professionals from leading organizations:
- Betsey Cohen (Teneo Ventures)
- Monica Issar (JP Morgan)
- Scott Baker (New England Development)
- Carter McClelland (Union Square Advisors)
- Joel Solomon (Renewal Funds)
Allies
The fund has established partnerships with key allies including:
- Dalila Wilson-Scott (Comcast NBCUniversal)
- Jacki Zehner (ShePlace and Women Moving Millions)
- Jill Karp (Karp Foundation)
- Tilcia Toledo (FTI Consulting)
- Leanne Huebner (Minds Matter National)
- Valerie Moseley (Valmo Ventures)
Portfolio Companies
WOCstar Fund has built a diverse portfolio of 12 companies across multiple sectors:
- Samba TV (Ashwin Navin) - Advanced TV technology and analytics platform (samba.tv)
- Hemster (Allison Lee) - Fashion technology and tailoring services (hemster.co)
- Re-Nuble (Tinia Pina) - Sustainable agriculture and food technology (re-nuble.com)
- Sports Innovation Lab (Angela Ruggiero) - Sports technology and innovation (sportsilab.com)
- FilmHedge (Jon Gosier) - Film and entertainment financing platform (filmhedge.com)
- Infinite Objects (Josepha Saavedra, Roxy Fata) - Digital collectibles and NFT technology (infiniteobjects.com)
- Zero Grocery (Zuleyka Strassner) - Sustainable grocery delivery (zerogrocery.com)
- Flow, INC. (Brendan Marshall) - Productivity and workflow tools (flowinc.com)
- POSSIP (Shani Dowell) - Education technology and parent engagement platform (possip.com)
- audigent (Drew Stein) - Data analytics and advertising technology (audigent.com)
- Uncharted (Jessica Matthews) - Technology and innovation company
- Moment.ai (Megan Gray) - AI and productivity technology (everymoment.ai)
Investment Approach
WOCstar Fund distinguishes itself through a hands-on, builder-focused approach to investing. Rather than simply providing capital, the fund actively works with portfolio companies to:
- Provide visibility and certification opportunities
- Leverage proven expertise to help companies achieve their potential
- Build connections within their extensive network of partners and advisors
- Support diverse founders in navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship
- Create pathways to generational wealth in communities of color
The fund's experienced team brings a proven track record of helping companies achieve their greatest potential through strategic guidance, operational support, and access to resources.
Contact Information
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 170 E. 88th St. NY, NY 10012
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wocstar/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wocstarfund/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Wocstar
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcpzz0ps3xDkmWyl4nvGxiQ
- Podcast: VCs Off the Record with Gayle Jennings-O'Byrne (Apple Podcasts, Spotify)
Submission Process
Entrepreneurs interested in pitching to WOCstar Fund can submit through their dedicated submission page at wocstar.com/wocstar-fund-submission-page.
Research Date
This research was conducted on March 4, 2026.
Conclusion
WOCstar Fund represents a unique and impactful approach to venture capital, combining financial investment with a deep commitment to supporting women of color entrepreneurs and building wealth in underserved communities. With a strong team, diverse portfolio, and clear mission, the fund is well-positioned to continue driving meaningful change in the venture capital ecosystem while generating returns for investors.