Philadelphia’s hospitality industry has been turned upside down this month because of the spread of COVID-19, which has left a noticeable stream of boarded-up restaurants and shuttered hotels in its wake. But the industry’s behind-the-scenes players have been hard hit too, and are working to develop new survival strategies of their own.
Announcing Our Newest Partner, Geri Kirilova!
It is with great excitement that we are announcing Laconia’s promotion of our Principal, Geri Kirilova, to Partner. Geri began her journey as an intern with Laconia in the spring of 2015 during her senior year at NYU’s Stern School of Business, where she graduated summa cum laude. The investment triumvirate that has been created by Geri joining us has dramatically propelled Laconia’s activity within NYC’s startup ecosystem. This promotion reflects Geri’s pivotal contribution to our firm.
Our meeting Geri in 2015 resulted from a serendipitous introduction at an industry cocktail party. Her warmth, maturity, and intelligence were immediately apparent. We came to learn that she had proven VC dedication and experience through internships at Credo Ventures and LAUNCHub Ventures, which was impressive given her young age. Laconia was Geri’s third VC role, and after a stint at a Techstars accelerator program, she became Laconia’s first associate in January 2017.
Since coming on board, Geri has very much become a prominent face of Laconia. Often do we attend an industry event where we will introduce ourselves to someone and the response will be, “Laconia! You must work with Geri. She’s awesome!” With all humility, she is! Her active deal sourcing, high emotional intelligence in identifying star founders, and skill at detailed due diligence are remarkable. In addition to introducing us to Ocrolus and Elsen, Geri led our Unioncrate and Wethos investments. She has proven to be a true partner both to founders from day 1 as they navigate their business growth and to us as we build Laconia. She has also taken the reins of Laconia’s year-round paid internship program, building a pipeline of future investors and entrepreneurs. We are truly blessed to have her as our partner, peer and lifelong friend.
Please give Geri a big congratulations when you run into her. And if you don’t already know her, you should (she’s easy to spot - just look for her famous hair). Geri’s not only a talented investor, but she’s a kind, curious, and interesting person who lives life with great heart.
Fintech AutoFi broadens focus to in-store transactions
AutoFi is looking to expand its purchase experience to facilitate more in-person transactions and to be more configurable across different franchise dealerships, Chief Executive Kevin Singerman told Auto Finance News. The growth plans come on the heels of a Series B investment in AutoFi by BMW i Ventures, the auto maker’s venture capital fund that invests money and resources in automotive startups.
BMW i Ventures Invests in AutoFi, a San Francisco-based Vehicle Financing Startup
BMW i Ventures, the venture capital arm of the German automaker that invests in startups in the fields of autonomous driving, digital car services, AI, automotive cloud and other on-demand mobility services, announced today an investment in AutoFi, a technology company that is looking to disrupt the way cars are bought and sold.
Ocrolus Launches Funding Initiative for Kiva's Global Micro-Lending Program
Ocrolus, a leading fintech infrastructure company that transforms documents into actionable data with over 99% accuracy, today announced a new lending program through a partnership with Kiva, a non-profit organization that enables anyone to make zero-interest loans to specific entrepreneurs in over 85 countries.