In this episode of Impact(ed), Hopelab’s Erin Sietstra offers an inside look at how the social innovation lab is using its unique structure – an operating foundation with a venture arm, research team, and policy experts – to address the youth mental health crisis (disclosure: Hopelab supports ImpactAlpha’s Healthy Youth coverage).
Drawing on a career that spans biotech, corporate venture capital, and Medicaid-focused startups, Sietstra shares an investment philosophy shaped by the barriers underserved populations face in accessing care. “I really wanted to go back to the investing role, but to do so really from an organization and a platform that put impact first,” she explains.
Tune in to learn how Sietstra thinks about investing in early stage health equity startups, the importance of personal connection in venture capital decision making, and why she believes lived experience makes for better founders.
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Timecodes:
- 00:00 Understanding Youth Mental Health and Access to Care
- 01:04 Impact Venture Capital vs Traditional VC
- 03:37 Hope Lab’s Mission and Theory of Change
- 07:11 The Role of Corporate Venture Capital
- 09:07 Innovative Solutions for Youth Mental Health
- 14:27 A Day in the Life of an Impact Investor
- 26:09 Building Relationships in Investing
- 32:55 The Power of Lived Experience in Founders
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