Katherine Kirsch
Mindshift Capital announced the appointment of Katherine Kirsch as Venture Partner. Kirsch brings a rich blend of startup founding experience, product design acumen, strategic operating expertise and academic thinking. At San Francisco-based design and innovation firm IDEO, Kirsch worked across product and growth, before overseeing AI-driven learning product development at Stockholm-based startup Sana Labs. She is also the founder of twenty, a mentorship platform supporting young adults transitioning into careers and life.
She earned a B.S. in Product Design Engineering from Stanford University, where she received the Robert McKim Design Award as top of her class, and later completed her MBA at Harvard Business School. Later she taught design research at Stanford d.school within the Mechanical Engineering department.
At Mindshift Capital, Katherine will focus on sourcing, evaluating, and supporting high-growth, women-led ventures in technology, healthtech, and education sectors. Drawing on her design and founding experience, she will partner deeply with founders to help shape products, teams, and growth strategies. Her appointment strengthens Mindshift’s global network and reinforces the firm’s mission to back visionary women founders with both capital and strategic expertise.
“We are thrilled to welcome Katherine. Her founding mindset, design-led operating experience, and deep empathy for mission-driven entrepreneurs align perfectly with Mindshift’s thesis—and will bring immediate value to both our firm and portfolio,” said Jessica Smith, managing partner at Mindshift Capital.
In her role supporting the SISU Collaborative, Kirsch will serve as a board partner and growth advisor, guiding the company’s performance platform, product roadmap, and go-to-market strategy.
Mindshift Capital is a global, women-run venture firm investing in post-seed and early-stage companies across the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East. The firm focuses on female-led businesses and underrepresented founding teams. Recent investments include health-tech marketplace MDisrupt, alt-seafood innovator Shiok Meats, and wellness platform Rosy Wellness. By combining deep sector expertise with an active partnership model, Mindshift helps founders scale internationally and achieve sustainable impact.