​Fireside Chat with Katy Nelson (ex-a16z, Techstars, Gartner, Accenture)

​Join us for an illuminating fireside chat with Katy Nelson — formerly Partner at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Mentor at Techstars, Managing Director at Gartner, and Strategy Consultant at Accenture — as she unpacks what it takes to scale startups, navigate industries, and invest with conviction at the frontier of technology and venture capital.

​About Katy

​At Andreessen Horowitz, Katy served as Partner and GTM Team Lead, heading one of the firm’s largest go-to-market organizations across regulated industries (financial services, government, healthcare/life sciences, transportation/logistics, energy/utilities, automotive, manufacturing). She helped portfolio companies land and scale with real buyers — shaping GTM strategy, building executive relationships, and driving repeatable global revenue.

​At Gartner, she supported Fortune 500 and Global 2000 organizations in navigating the intersection of business strategy and emerging technology — guiding leaders in leveraging AI, blockchain, cloud infrastructure, mobile applications, cybersecurity, and data & analytics.

​Now, she joins us at Yale to talk about what it really means to build and back the next generation of transformative companies — and the people behind them.

​Join us for

​An honest, wide-ranging discussion on:

• ​Women in venture capital and leadership — lessons on breaking ceilings and building credibility in rooms not built for you.

• ​How students can break into startups and VC — practical insights on framing your narrative and finding your edge.

• ​The current investing landscape — what’s hot, what’s underrated, and how to read between the hype cycles.

• ​The founder journey & advice for student founders — how to think like an operator before you have a company, and how great founders de-risk bold ideas.

• ​The role of megafunds — how large firms like a16z shape the frontier, from AI and American Dynamism to fintech, infrastructure, and beyond.

​About the Companies

• ​Andreessen Horowitz (a16z): A stage-agnostic Silicon Valley venture capital firm with approximately $46 billion in assets under management, investing broadly across AI, American Dynamism, bio + health, consumer, crypto, enterprise, fintech, games, infrastructure and more.

• ​Techstars: One of the world’s most respected startup accelerators and global networks, providing founders with mentorship-driven accelerator programs, early-stage capital, and access to an enduring community of founders, investors, and corporate partners.

• ​Gartner: A global research and advisory firm delivering actionable, objective business and technology insights to executives and their teams — enabling faster, smarter decisions and stronger performance on mission-critical priorities.

​Why Attend

​Whether you’re a student dreaming of your first startup, an aspiring VC, or just curious about where technology is headed next — this is your chance to hear directly from someone who’s seen it all: consulting for global giants, mentoring founders, and helping shape how the world’s most powerful venture firms build conviction.

​About the Host

​H*QUOTIENT (HQ) is the world's leading deep tech & hardware community for students, recent grads, and GenZ technologists. We're a collective of nearly 7,000 engineers, scientists, founders, investors, and students across 55+ countries, built by engineers for engineers. We aim to empower the next generation of founders in IP-intensive industries to commercialize their tech, connect over niche STEM-adjacent events, and make deep tech sexy again.

​HQ is built by your very own fellow Yalie Roxana Grunenwald, undergrad Chemical Engineering major, who will be moderating this discussion. Roxana is a Partner at Dorm Room Fund (DRF), a generalist pre-seed fund investing in student & recent grad builders at the earliest stages. Check out the DRF portfolio here.

​If you're a student builder looking to raise, email [email protected]. Or drop a note and say hi! [email protected]

​Please Note

​By registering for this event, you consent to be photographed and receive email updates from the hosts and be added to the H*QUOTIENT newsletter mailing list. Photographs may be used for marketing and media purposes without compensation.