Erika Batista stands out as a highly connected and respected advisor in the venture capital and private equity principals industry, with a distinguished profile reflecting an extensive network of over 11,931 LinkedIn connections. A passionate advocate for connecting people, Erika has dedicated over a decade to working closely with startup founders, honing expertise in fundraising, go-to-market strategies, and community building. Notably, Erika served as a General Partner at On Deck's fund, spearheading pre-seed investment efforts and has a record of effective team management, having once led a team of more than 40 professionals.

Before venturing into venture capital, Erika first made their mark as the inaugural employee and director at the European accelerator, The Family, laying the foundation for their subsequent influential roles. Currently based in San Francisco, California, Erika maintains an impressive portfolio of advisory positions at Brighteye Ventures, Clarisights, Orbit, and other progressive firms, continually offering strategic counsel since early 2021. Their recent forays into limited partnerships with entities like firedrop and Inuka Capital, starting in late 2022 and early 2023 respectively, underscore their continued commitment to fostering growth and innovation in the early-stage startup arena.

Erika's academic background is equally compelling, having studied at Université Panthéon-Assas (Paris 2), and holding an LLM in Law & Economics from the Erasmus Mundus European Master in Law and Economics (EMLE), testifying to a solid foundation in the principles that underpin their professional endeavors. With a specific skill set in early-stage startups and education, Erika exemplifies the archetype of a well-rounded, globally-minded advisor with a robust footing in both the theoretical and practical aspects of entrepreneurship and investment.