This past weekend, we hosted the broader Penny Jar community for our annual holiday party to celebrate our exceptional founders. Early-stage venture is all about investing in people, especially those who demonstrate a curiosity to learn and a steadfast determination to execute. As Penny Jar Capital’s Special Advisor Stephen Curry put it, the people gathered … Continued
Blake Chasen’s entrepreneurial journey is anything but linear. Like many founders, he’s faced his fair share of obstacles—pushing through unexpected hurdles, tough decisions, and the inevitable moments of doubt. But instead of giving in, Blake chose to pivot and pour his passion into something deeply personal yet universally impactful: Avenue. Avenue is more than just … Continued
Building a company is all about human capital. People create products and sell them to other…people. Even in the age of AI, people sit at the core of every company, yet hiring excellent talent is the single most challenging element of a business to do well consistently. It’s also critical to building a company at … Continued
Stephen Curry is no stranger to winning, but his recent triumph at the Paris 2024 Olympics adds yet another remarkable chapter to his storied career. From NBA championships to Olympic gold, Stephen continues to demonstrate excellence both on and off the court. In this exclusive Q&A, he reflects on the emotional highs of representing his … Continued
In the competitive entrepreneurship landscape, Elise Smith has emerged as a visionary founder, redefining how companies should think about their future leaders. As the co-founder and CEO of Praxis Labs, Elise has dedicated her career to leveraging immersive learning experiences to drive meaningful change in the workplace. Her journey is a powerful example of how … Continued
With a wealth of experience from his time at Divvy, where he played a key role in the company’s incredible growth and successful acquisition, Renato Villanueva deeply understands what it takes to build and scale a thriving business. At Parallel, he’s creating powerful tools and cultivating a team driven by a relentless desire to win. … Continued
With a deep background in computer science and a knack for turning complex problems into simple solutions, Hongbo Tian is on a mission to make AI accessible and useful for everyone. His journey from a tech enthusiast to a founder is inspiring and filled with challenges, breakthroughs, and much learning. At Ducky, he’s not just … Continued
With the explosion of data inside organizations and the proliferation of SaaS applications, employees are struggling to stay afloat at work. In a 2021 study, McKinsey found that the average company uses over 100 different SaaS applications (up from only 8 in 2015), and knowledge workers spend ~20% of their time searching for internal information. … Continued
This week, Penny Jar hosted Innovation in the Enterprise in Milwaukee, an event focused on how technological transformations are reshaping large companies. The panels, discussions, and questions around innovation in the enterprise were vibrant, the insights were profound, and the enthusiasm was palpable. We were fortunate to bring Penny Jar founders together with industry leaders … Continued
Maria Colacurcio is a passionate entrepreneur with a strong background in both founding and leading innovative companies. Raised in an environment that encouraged pushing boundaries and embracing challenges, Maria’s journey in the tech industry began with her role as co-founder at Smartsheet, which successfully went public in 2018. Her experiences there, combined with her desire … Continued