Monique Woodard Biography

Monique Woodard works at 500 Startups as a Venture Partner, where she invests in early-stage companies. She believes that the $2.5 trillion in combined black and Latino purchasing power in the United States is generating the next major emerging market right here at home. She backs startups founded by black and Latino founders, as well as businesses that service those communities. Monique is also the Founder and Executive Director of Black Founders, a nonprofit organization founded by four tech buddies over shrimp and grits and jazz music at a San Francisco restaurant. Their hackathons at historically black schools and institutions, as well as seminars and conferences for founders, are all aimed at getting entrepreneurs from concept to implementation. The group has nurtured a new generation of tech founders from Silicon Valley to New York City, Atlanta, Austin, and numerous HBCU campuses, with the goal of increasing the number of successful black entrepreneurs in tech. Monique formerly worked for the San Francisco Mayor's Office as one of the inaugural Innovation Fellows, where she focused on the various ways that a city at the forefront of innovation can utilize technology to change the workforce and other government services. She contributed to the City's early strategy around community internet access and closing the digital divide in low-income and minority communities during her fellowship term, writing a resolution on broadband and unlicensed spectrum that was adopted at the US Conference of Mayors and contributing to the City's early strategy around community internet access and closing the digital divide in low-income and minority communities. Monique was an entrepreneur long before it became fashionable. She's worked on a variety of projects, including Speak Chic, a smartphone app that teaches you how to pronounce fashion companies correctly. Harper's Bazaar UK, Cosmopolitan, Essence, and InStyle all highlighted Speak Chic. Monique has consulted for-profit businesses and charity groups focused on technology, such as EveryoneOn.org and Startup Policy Lab. She lectures publishes and consults on consumer technology, diversity, and civic technology on a regular basis. MSNBC, The Daily Beast, New York Times, Buzzfeed, NPR, TheRoot, and Essence have all interviewed her about business and diversity.

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