The EVCA leadership is dedicated to building community across and empowering the next generation of venture capitalists through an array of activities—from hosting events, knowledge sharing, and connecting others. This EVCA Leadership Spotlight Series is intended to help the broader community get to know what's going on behind the scenes at the EVCA, as well as highlight the valuable contributions of those individuals who make the EVCA possible. Accordingly, it's a great privilege for us to announce this EVCA Leadership Spotlight on our very own EVCA New York Chapter Lead, Bridget Duru of Rethink Education.
Bridget Duru is a senior associate at Rethink Education, an early-stage venture fund focused on edtech, workforce, and life skills. Prior to joining the firm in January 2022, Bridget was a consultant at EY-Parthenon where she focused on commercial due diligence for companies in the consumer and education sectors. Outside of work, Bridget enjoys running, boxing, and finding the best vodka sauce pasta in NYC. Bridget graduated magna cum laude from Brown University and holds a B.A. in Political Science and Gender Studies.
EVCA: Could you explain more about what you do in your role as an New York Chapter Lead at EVCA?
Bridget: As a NY co-lead, I work to cultivate community amongst pre-partner investors in NYC. This includes planning social events (think game nights, workout classes, cooking classes), as well as educational events, such as modeling courses and partner fireside chats. The goal is for investors to exchange insights on industry verticals, explore co-investment opportunities, discuss career planning strategies, and connect on personal interests.
EVCA: What made you interested in taking a leadership role at EVCA?
Bridget: NYC has such a vibrant VC ecosystem—I’ve met so many people who have taught me about new industries, shared deals with me, and become close friends! EVCA has also been instrumental to my growth as an investor- whenever I am getting smart on a new industry, I often consult sector specialists through the EVCA Slack channel. I wanted to take a leadership role at EVCA because my community has been instrumental to my success, and I want to ensure that other VCs in NYC have the opportunity to cultivate and strengthen their own networks.
EVCA: What is your most contrarian view on an existing or emerging technology trend?
Bridget: Over the past few months, people have been asking: is SaaS dead? The statistics aren’t great. The average YoY growth rate of a B2B subscription company with over $1mm in revenue was 11% in Q2 2023, down from 26% just a year prior. Employers are looking to cut costs and likely have a plethora of point solutions, making them reluctant to consider new solutions. While I don’t think SaaS is dead, it is clearly becoming increasingly hard for startups to acquire new enterprise customers, which I believe will result in fewer overall winners. Addressing employers' most pressing needs, providing true ROI, and being meaningfully differentiated are essential to growth for today’s B2B SaaS companies.
Interested in taking on an EVCA leadership role? The EVCA leadership is dedicated to empowering the next generation of VCs through an array of activities—running 40+ channels on from hosting events, knowledge sharing, and connecting others. If interested in pursuing an EVCA leadership role, click here.
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