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3 8 C T I N N O V A T O R S , 2 0 2 2 states, including Massachusetts and Rhode Island, but not yet in Connecticut. Lamont serves on the board of directors of VillageMD, which is one of 50 healthcare companies in Oak HC/FT's portfolio. Other portfolio companies include Noom, which takes a behavioral health approach to diet and lifestyle changes; LDI Integrated Pharmacy Ser- vices, a pharmacy-management platform; Dispatch Health, which focuses on in-home health care; and Aspire Health, a provider of palliative care, which was acquired by Anthem. Women investors While Oak HC/FT has focused on the U.S. healthcare market, it has taken a global view of the fintech space. Lamont says Latin America and Brazil in particular are ripe for fintech innovation. Among the 31 firms in Oak HC/FT's fintech portfolio are Wise- tack, a provider of buy-now-pay-later solutions to in-person busi- nesses; Urjanet, the world's leading aggregator of utility data, which was acquired by Arcadia; Paxos, the first regulated blockchain in- frastructure platform; NextCapital, a supplier of digital retirement advice, which was acquired by Goldman Sachs; CLARA Analytics, an insurance claims solution driven by artificial intelligence and data science; and 99minutos, a supplier of logistical services for e-com- merce in Latin America. Lamont estimates there may be as many as 10,000 vacant fintech jobs in Connecticut and points to a new fintech university program coming to Stamford as a step in the right direction. In reflecting on her long VC career, Lamont says one of her smart- est moves was to leave Silicon Valley, although she didn't know it at the time. In her youthful enthusiasm, she recalls, she barely noticed how few women were in key roles in Silicon Valley. All things seemed possible then, but the development of a male-dominated hierarchy across the valley raised questions. By moving to Connecticut, she found a more welcoming environ- ment for women — up to a point. Both Oak Investment Partners and Oak HC/FT have built envi- able records of gender inclusion. But Lamont recalls too oen look- ing around an industry event and seeing few — and sometimes no — other women in the room. Alison Malloy, director of investments at Connecticut Innova- tions, the state's quasi-public venture investment firm, was having a similar experience, and when she and Lamont started talking about what could be done, Tidal River was born. A collaboration between the wife of Connecticut's governor and the niece of the previous governor seems unusual. Fold in the fact that Ned Lamont unsuccessfully fought Dannel Malloy for the Dem- ocratic gubernatorial nomination in 2010 and the chances seem slim. Alison Malloy disagrees. Expanding opportunities for women in- vestors is more important than bygone differences, she says. For Lamont, Malloy says, it's also a chance to use her skills, interests and position as first lady to achieve a win for the Connecticut econo- my. During her Aunt Cathy Malloy's time as first lady, Alison Malloy recalls, she focused on helping the arts and programs serving domes- tic abuse survivors. is time, it's Lamont focusing on changing the investing environment. Tidal River is set up to develop a network of women angel inves- tors. Meetings bring together a couple of dozen women to learn about investing and hear presentations from selected startups seeking fund- ing. An emphasis is placed on doing due diligence. While the focus is on women investors and women-led companies, men are welcome both as investors and funding recipients. Similarly, the focus is on investing in companies that will grow — and create jobs — in Connecticut, but the group is open to innovative compa- nies anywhere. Finding good investments is job No. 1. Malloy has been urging Tidal River members to raise a fund — similar to the approach of New York's Golden Seeds angel investing group, of which Malloy is a founding member. But so far it's been no sale. Still, Malloy says, Tidal River places Connecticut at the forefront of investment opportunities for women. And she credits Lamont for helping found the organization. "She supports entrepreneurs in their mission … she is a true in- vestor — a backer of true entrepreneurs," Malloy says. I Continued from page 37 "Meeting (Steve Jobs) changed my life." – Annie Lamont