Anu Duggal and Sutian Dong are the brilliant duo behind Female Founders Fund, a venture capital fund that was created with a mission to support women entrepreneurs and help bring their innovative ideas to life. Their portfolio companies are all led by intelligent and talented women founders (many of whom are women of color) who may not have gotten a chance to pursue their dream companies elsewhere. That's why they're included in this special edition of Bustle's Must Follow, in which we highlight the incredible Asian American and Pacific Islander voices you need to follow on Instagram and Twitter.
Briefly describe yourself, including how you identify and what you do.
Anu Duggal: I’m the founding partner of Female Founders Fund. My work is all about proving to the world that investing in women can generate great returns and building the strongest eco-system of female founders nationally.
Sutian Dong: I am a Chinese-American and one half of Female Founders Fund, where we invest in the next generation of companies started by women.
What do you hope people take away from following you/your work in the industry and on social media?
AD: As a serial entrepreneur/investor, I hope more women are inspired to take the entrepreneurial leap and recognize that there is never a “perfect” time to take the plunge.
SD: The biggest opportunity in the investing space today is investing in women. Women control trillions of spend worldwide, and the massive, industry-defining companies of tomorrow are being started by founders who intuitively understand the modern consumer, her needs, and her impact on how businesses do business.
When did you first feel that you were a voice for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community?
SD: There are more women than ever working as investors in venture, and I feel lucky to be a voice and a resource for AAPI women entering into the venture community.
Who’s another Asian American or Pacific Islander person you would recommend to follow on social media?
AD: Follow Shivani Siroya or @shivsiroya to learn more about how her company @talamobile is changing the face of financial credit in emerging markets.
SD: @Naomi_NYC, the cofounder & co-CEO of Shine Text (one of our portfolio companies) — she is a star on the internet.
Follow Duggal and Dong's Female Founders Fund on Instagram, @femalefoundersfund
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.
