Pivotal Ventures

With so many challenges facing the world, it’s always inspiring to learn about the brilliant, creative minds working to solve them. Congratulations to The Audacious Project's 2024 cohort!

?? What do young people want to see in entertainment media? More fantasy, more friendship, less romance, and less cringe-y depictions of social media, according to UCLA's Center for Scholars & Storytellers’ report. See what else young people ages 10-24 care about as it relates to media:

American teens are under a lot of pressure, but that pressure can look different for different kids. Our partner Center for Digital Thriving’s fascinating new report shows that 81% of American teens experience pressure in at least one of six areas, while 52% say they experience it in three or more. Not all pressure is bad, of course, but naming these experiences can help teens and the adults in their lives better understand where that pressure comes from and how to address it. Dig into the rest of the findings—including how you can help: https://lnkd.in/gCPpmDne

Some more amazing milestones coming out of the 2024 election cycle: Women will make up the majority of state legislators in Colorado, New Mexico, and Nevada! What a win for women’s political power ??

"Diversity leads to innovation—full stop." Our founder Melinda French Gates and Managing Director of Investments, Erin Harkless Moore, CFA, talk about why diversity in venture capital is so important and what we can gain from getting more capital in the hands of more women, especially women of color. Read more from Erin Harkless Moore: https://lnkd.in/gDde_C2s

For far too long, women’s health has been underfunded, overlooked, and misunderstood. It’s time to change that. As part of our $250 million global open call, Action for Women’s Health, we’re looking to fund organizations working to improve women’s mental and/or physical health. If that sounds like you, learn more, spread the word, and register to apply for funding: https://lnkd.in/gYZXv39C

“One of the biggest threats to Native peoples is invisibility. Nearly 80 percent of Americans said that they knew little to nothing about us.” Our partner Crystal Echo Hawk, founder of IllumiNative Org, is on a mission to change that. Learn more about her inspiring work in The Chronicle of Philanthropy.

Inspiring news coming out of New Mexico! Not only did the state achieve a female-majority legislature, but Cindy Nava became the first DACA recipient to win elected office. Congratulations to the newly elected members on these historic wins—and thank you to the many organizations that helped make this progress possible.

Thank you Paris Hilton for sharing your story with us, and thank you to everyone who joined us at the Behavioral Health Tech Conference last week to talk about how we can better support young people ??

Awesome to see Layla Alexander from Female Founders Fund featured on TechCrunch’s list of New York’s Top VCs under 30! Check out the full list of impressive young investors who are helping shape the future of venture capital: