Kjerstin Erickson

Spotlight on the one and only Kjerstin Erickson, aka KJ, this girl is the real deal. She’s a serial entrepreneur who’s been crushing it in the tech and startup world for a minute now. Started out with a solid background, BA in Public Policy from Stanford and an MBA from Oxford as a Skoll Scholar, so she’s got brains and a vision. But what really makes her stand out is how she jumped headfirst into building cool shit and having an effect.

She’s been part of some wild projects. Back in the day, she co-founded Plenty Labs, which got into Y Combinator, that’s where she really jumped into the startup game. They built Simbi, a digital currency marketplace, and also helped create Public Market, a blockchain-based eCommerce protocol. Basically, she’s been riding the wave of blockchain and digital currencies before it was even mainstream. That shows she’s not afraid to jump into the deep end with new tech and push the boundaries.

Now she’s running Arising Ventures as CEO, where she’s all about scaling software businesses with high-performance teams. She’s got this knack for building resilient, kickass companies that can adapt and grow fast. Her experience isn’t just about tech, she’s held leadership roles in organizations like UpCounsel, GuideStar, and others, always pushing for social impact and innovation.

And it’s more than just startups. She’s done serious social good, working in African refugee camps with UNHCR early in her career. That’s the kind of person who’s got both the hustle and the heart. No surprise she’s been recognized by Rolling Stone, CNN, Clinton Foundation, Skoll Foundation, she’s definitely making waves.

VCs love her too, Greylock, Foundation Capital, Norwest, Maveron, they’ve backed her projects because she’s the real deal. She’s been featured everywhere from TechCrunch to Forbes to the Wall Street Journal, so she’s not just talking, she’s changing the game.

Bottom line? KJ Erickson’s story is about a relentless drive to innovate and make an impact. She’s the kind of founder who’s not just building startups but shaping the future of tech and social good. She’s proof that you can be super smart, deeply committed, and totally fearless, and that’s why she’s someone you gotta keep an eye on.