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Julie Lein is the Managing Partner and co-founder of Urban Innovation Fund, a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage startups improving city life. She is known for her expertise in urban policy and technology investments.
Julie Lein invests in startups that address urban challenges across various sectors. Her focus areas include govtech, proptech, mobility, sustainability, public health, education, and workforce development, all aimed at creating more livable and efficient cities.
Julie Lein works as the Managing Partner at Urban Innovation Fund, a venture capital firm she co-founded. The fund is dedicated to investing in companies that innovate for urban environments.
Julie Lein is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner at the Urban Innovation Fund, a seed-stage venture capital firm based in San Francisco, California. Since launching the firm in 2016 alongside co-founder Clara Brenner, she has helped manage over $200 million in assets, including a $121 million third venture fund closed in 2023. The firm provides $500,000 to $3.5 million in early-stage capital to urban technology startups, backing more than 60 companies such as Solarcycle, Dataships, and Chariot, which was acquired by Ford. Before establishing her current firm, Lein served as President of the urban tech accelerator Tumml and worked in political polling and strategic consulting. She holds an MBA from MIT Sloan and a BA from Stanford University, maintaining a primary investment focus on regulatory-heavy sectors like climate technology, mobility, and government technology.
Julie Lein stands as a prominent figure in the venture capital landscape, serving as the Managing Partner and co-founder of the Urban Innovation Fund. This pioneering firm is dedicated to backing early-stage startups that are actively working to solve the complex challenges faced by cities today. As a driving force behind the fund, Julie plays a pivotal role in identifying and nurturing companies poised to make a significant positive impact on urban environments and the lives of their residents.
Her investment focus at Urban Innovation Fund is broad yet deeply rooted in urban improvement. Julie and her team seek out innovative solutions across a spectrum of sectors, including govtech, which modernizes government services; proptech, enhancing real estate and urban planning; mobility solutions that improve transportation; and sustainability initiatives aimed at creating greener, more resilient cities. She also champions companies in areas like public health, education technology, and workforce development, all with an eye towards fostering more equitable and efficient urban ecosystems. The fund's portfolio reflects this commitment, featuring companies that are truly reshaping how cities operate and how people experience them.
Before co-founding Urban Innovation Fund, Julie Lein built a distinguished career at the intersection of public policy and economic development. Her experience includes serving as a Senior Policy Advisor at the White House National Economic Council during the Obama administration. In this influential role, she focused on urban policy and economic development initiatives, gaining invaluable insights into the systemic issues and opportunities within cities. This background in high-level policy formulation provides her with a unique perspective, enabling her to identify startups that not only offer technological innovation but also align with broader societal needs and policy goals. Her prior work at the Center for American Progress further solidified her expertise in policy research and advocacy.
Julie's leadership at Urban Innovation Fund is instrumental in guiding investments into companies that are not just profitable but also purpose-driven. While specific individual investments are often a collaborative effort of the fund, her strategic vision helps steer the firm towards impactful ventures. Through her work, Julie Lein continues to empower entrepreneurs who are building the next generation of solutions for smarter, more sustainable, and more inclusive cities, leveraging technology to address some of the world's most pressing urban challenges.
