Grace Isford
Grace’s investment thesis centers around companies engaging in what she dubs the “Autonomy Economy” or the set of interrelated activities, platforms, and incentives that promote autonomous ideals of self-reliance, self-advocacy, and self-actualization. Companies that thrive in the autonomy economy are those that leverage technology focused on improving the individual experience often manifested in the form of greater individual efficiency or agency.
The types of companies within the Autonomy Economy that Grace is passionate about include: API-first companies making legacy processes simpler and more efficient; data and ML-first companies especially those with vertical applications in the fintech and healthtech ecosystems hyper-personalizing user experiences; and decentralized applications built atop Web3 supporting self-governance.
Before Canvas, Grace worked on the LP side, at the Stanford Management Company, and on the operating side, in product at edtech startup Handshake. Both experiences led her to venture, where she is most motivated by helping entrepreneurs make their visions a reality.
Outside of work, Grace is passionate about increasing female representation in the venture and tech industry - she served as Co-President of Stanford Women in Business (Stanford’s largest pre-professional organization for women), currently serves as All Raise Cohort Captain, and was encouraged to join female-founded Canvas Ventures and break into venture after seeing Rebecca Lynn speak on a panel when she was still a student at Stanford.
Grace also serves on the board of Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), Stanford’s entrepreneurship program which stems from her participation in the Mayfield Fellowship program both as a fellow and teaching assistant.
Biography
Grace’s investment thesis centers around companies engaging in what she dubs the “Autonomy Economy” or the set of interrelated activities, platforms, and incentives that promote autonomous ideals of self-reliance, self-advocacy, and self-actualization. Companies that thrive in the autonomy economy are those that leverage technology focused on improving the individual experience often manifested in the form of greater individual efficiency or agency.
The types of companies within the Autonomy Economy that Grace is passionate about include: API-first companies making legacy processes simpler and more efficient; data and ML-first companies especially those with vertical applications in the fintech and healthtech ecosystems hyper-personalizing user experiences; and decentralized applications built atop Web3 supporting self-governance.
Before Canvas, Grace worked on the LP side, at the Stanford Management Company, and on the operating side, in product at edtech startup Handshake. Both experiences led her to venture, where she is most motivated by helping entrepreneurs make their visions a reality.
Outside of work, Grace is passionate about increasing female representation in the venture and tech industry - she served as Co-President of Stanford Women in Business (Stanford’s largest pre-professional organization for women), currently serves as All Raise Cohort Captain, and was encouraged to join female-founded Canvas Ventures and break into venture after seeing Rebecca Lynn speak on a panel when she was still a student at Stanford.
Grace also serves on the board of Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), Stanford’s entrepreneurship program which stems from her participation in the Mayfield Fellowship program both as a fellow and teaching assistant.
While Grace works across the verticals Canvas invests in, she is particularly interested in B2B software companies including API, data, and ML-first companies, in addition to decentralized applications built atop Web3.
Mindset by Carol Dweck. She believes in the growth mindset, thriving on challenges and viewing them as areas of opportunity for personal growth.
Grace lived in Tokyo, Japan during her childhood and aspires to re-learn the Japanese language.
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