We are delighted to introduce our newest team member, Ananya Dave, 21, who has recently transitioned from a six-month internship with Alberts’ Impact Ventures team into the role of casual research analyst, and is now on board as a business services undergraduate supporting the wider Alberts team. Born in Kenya, Ananya moved to Sydney in 2022 to pursue study and career opportunities, striking an impressive balance between her time at Alberts with a double-degree at UNSW comprising a Bachelor of Commerce (majoring Finance) and Bachelor of Information Systems. With a keen interest in impact investing and entrepreneurship, and a passion for driving meaningful social and environmental change, Ananya reflects on her internship journey and shares her aspirations to become a next-generation leader.
How would you summarise your internship in three words?
Energising, inspirational and stimulating.
What sparked your interest in applying for an internship with the Impact Ventures team?
Growing up in a country like Kenya, social and environmental issues were at the forefront of daily life, creating desire to make changes. I pursued personal projects such as fundraising for 100 wheelchairs to be donated to those in need, and by creating an 11-month afforestation and agriculture program to upskill and supplement the diets of secondary school students living in rural Kenya.
After moving to Sydney, I became conscious of venture capital and impact investing, which seemed like the ideal amalgamation of finance, innovation and purpose. Alberts’ impact theme areas of ‘Sustainable Environment’ and ‘Equality’ aligned with my interests, and I was in a hypnotherapy and seaweed fascination phase last August, so I immediately loved what the Impact Ventures portfolio companies Mindset Health and ULUU are doing. I was also curious about the structure of a family business and hopeful that I would be able to learn broadly through the role.
Ananya’s 11-month afforestation program in rural Kenya aimed to upskill students and nourish communities.
Describe an average day during your internship?
An average day may involve working through different aspects of the lifecycle of a deal, from sourcing and screening deals, participating in and taking founder meetings, due diligence assistance, to filling out parts of investment memo, and all the way to taking minutes at investment committee meetings. Beyond core investment functions, I completed research presentations and data projects on climate and AI, climate regulations, DEI practices, ESG portfolio metric tracking, and philanthropy. I was mentored by investment manager, Lisa Fedorenko, through the first-half of my internship and worked more closely with investment associate Ben Weinberger and Glenn Bartlett, head of strategy – Impact Ventures, for the second half.
How did you balance this with your studies?
I am convinced that there is no way to get bored of VC! I was energised by the work, which helped. Determined to make the most of the internship and time I had with the team, I looked to books for guidance on ways to practice grounding, habit stacks and focus. The ones I found most useful were: ‘Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience’ by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi; ‘Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know’ by Adam Grant, and all books Brené Brown, from ‘Daring Greatly’ to ‘The Gifts of Imperfection’.
What’s the most memorable moment from your internship?
The inaugural Founders Retreat in 2023 was an unforgettable experience. I was so lucky to meet and spend time with founders from across the Impact Ventures portfolio in-person, and connect in an informal setting. It was my first experience in seeing investors provide value beyond capital to founders and portfolio companies outside of board meetings – breaking the misconception I had on founder-investor relationships as being mostly transactional and strenuous after investment. Seeing founders from entirely different industries and backgrounds share and collaborate with one another left a lasting impression.
Impact Ventures’ Glenn Bartlett (left), with Ananya Dave (centre) and Lisa Fedorenko.
What are you most proud of from the work you produced throughout your internship?
I’m proud of progressing from observing and asking a few questions during founders’ initial meetings, dedicating the better half of the morning to researching the startup and industry, to having fluid discussions with founders and building intuition and practicing an easier path to conviction on deals. Building confidence in effectively communicating with founders and understanding ‘what needed to be believed’ for a deal to work was the area I experienced most growth in. A memorable project was the research I conducted on the environmental philanthropy landscape in Australia for The Tony Foundation, which I presented to the Grants Committee. This allowed me to contribute to the broader business and it was my first extensive research project at Alberts.
What takeaways you learn throughout your internship?
My top three learnings are:
- Communicate with pith: The word “pith” truly stuck with me after hearing it used by both Glenn Bartlett and [Alberts Group Services board member] Andrew Rothery at multiple investment committees. Bring the core of the message to the start of the conversation, and then delve into the detail when answering questions.
- Choose a stance: Find the courage to build a point of view and share it, then feedback be received. A lonely opinion does not mean it’s a wrong opinion – the outliers win in VC.
- Seek community: The communities within the startup scene are welcoming and have relatively low barriers to entry. I’ve met some amazing friends through climate, tech and startup gatherings and seen wonderful exemplars of collaboration within these communities.
Our inaugural Founders’ Retreat at Q Station Manly.
What advice do you have on how to make the most out of your internship for future candidates?
Be unabashedly curious and connect. Ask questions and seek help from the team. There is no shortage of incredible minds at Alberts and those you will meet through the internship, and you find some mentors along the way.
Track the ecosystem. Some of my favourite resources:
- General startup news: Overnight Success (Newsletter), The a16z Podcast and 20VC (Podcasts), Carta (Reports and LinkedIn Posts), This Week in Australian Startups (LinkedIn Articles).
- Alberts investment focus related news: AgTech So What and Scaling Climate Tech (Podcasts), Climate Tech VC, Agfunder, What the Health?!, CB Insights, Women’s Agenda (Newsletters).
Pause and reflect. Early-stage VC can be chaotic and fast paced. Taking early morning or lunchtime walks at the Royal Botanical Garden opposite Alberts was a lovely way to introspect and think creatively.
What’s next on the cards?
I have had the pleasure of continuing at Alberts as a research analyst for the past four months and I am excited to keep learning across functions as a business services undergraduate. I also look forward to deepening my impact in Australia as the newly chosen impact officer for the Global Shapers Sydney Hub, an initiative by The World Economic Forum where young people drive community-centred change.
Fundraising for 100 wheelchairs in Kenya.
Where do you hope to see yourself in 10 years?
Happy that I took risks in my 20’s, doing work that is growth-driven and purposeful as a leader in my profession. In line with my interest in finance, relationship-building and innovation, I am currently drawn to investing, wealth management and entrepreneurship. A year ago, I wouldn’t have imagined experiencing venture capital and loving it, so I am keeping my path open to possibilities and adventure. Whether adjacent to or directly through my career, I aim to support and drive action to address the world’s pressing issues.
