E051: Nicole Valentine: Center for Financial Markets (CFM) at the Milken Institute

00:00 Introduction

00:17 What inspired you to become a VC?

01:24 What is your investment thesis? What is the motivation for your thesis?

05:09 What are you currently reading or learning or listening to these days?

07:41 In 2 years, how do you see venture capital evolved or changed?

08:48 How do people contact you?

09:15 Thank you

Nicole Valentine is the FinTech Director of the Center for Financial Markets at the Milken Institute with over a decade of financial services, international Mergers & Acquisitions, technology and innovation experience. She leads the FinTech Program with a focus on access to capital, financial inclusion, compliance and transparency. An attorney by background, Nicole practiced Mergers and Acquisitions and Securities at Wall Street law firm, Debevoise & Plimpton and then served as Assistant General Counsel and Vice President at global financial services firm, Cantor Fitzgerald. Nicole founded Synergy Business Development where she served as business strategist, advisor and consultant to CEOs and Innovation Leads at Fortune 500 companies, innovative startups, non-profits and government agencies. Nicole invested in the growth of the SME sector through financial acumen and business strategy tools and has been featured in the media on issues that impact small businesses and technology startups. Nicole Valentine earned her JD from the University of Virginia School of Law and her BA from American University in Political Science. She is a member of the NY Bar.

The Center for Financial Markets (CFM) launched the FinTech Program in October 2014 to explore market innovation and developments, analyze alternative regulatory approaches, and offer policy recommendations to facilitate FinTech’s responsible development. Specifically, the FinTech Program focuses on three core topic areas: access to capital, financial inclusion, and transparency and compliance. As one of the first think-tanks to address the opportunities and challenges that FinTech presents, the program has since produced roughly 100 written reports, blogs, op-eds, and comment letters, and has hosted 80 private roundtables, public panel sessions, and congressional staff briefings covering FinTech.