James Gutierrez

Co-Founder / CEO

2021 - Current

Managing Partner / Founder

2012

Insikt Ventures (2012, Fund I) -- $4 million VC fund focused on fintech and consumer. Exits include OnDeck Capital (IPO), Blends Labs (IPO), Zimbio, and Instore. Other investments include ThatGameCompany, Wyre, Listo!, and Ingo Money. Insikt Capital (2022, Fund II) -- $3mm fintech/insuretech focus. Investments include Ioogo, MyCashLess, Noyo, and Atrato.

Board Of Directors; Vice-Chair

2014

The Leadership Group is a business organization of hundreds of Silicon Valley’s most dynamic companies. Founded by David Packard of Hewlett-Packard, for 40+ years SVLG addresses issues that affect the region’s economic health and quality of life, including housing, transportation, climate change, and diversity + inclusion. SVLG members collectively provide 1/3 of private sector jobs in Silicon Valley and contribute $3+ trillion to the global economy.

Member Board of Trustees -- Governance & Finance Committees

2019

Founded in 1908, Burke's is an independent girls' school for kindergarten through eighth grade, located in San Francisco. Burke’s mission is to educate, encourage, and empower girls. Our school combines academic excellence with an appreciation for childhood so that students thrive as learners, develop a strong sense of self, contribute to community, and fulfill their potential, now and throughout life.

Investor

2020

Finix's Payments Infrastructure-as-a-Service decreases the time, cost, and headache SaaS businesses, ISVs, and marketplaces experience when bringing payments in-house.

Board of Directors

2011 - 2022

Built off a highly successful after-school program for inner city public high school students in NY, SEO SF is focused on helping minority high schools students get into and graduate from college. After over 750 hours of after school college prep courses, most of our students are becoming the first in their families to go to 4-year colleges.

Co-Founder, CEO, Board of Directors

2013 - 2021

Co-founder Aura (f/k/a INSIKT) to bring economic justice to minorities, Latinos and low-income families who have been left behind or left out in America. Communities of color need a fighting chance at a better life and having a good credit score enables that. Buying a home or getting financing for a small business become possible. Aura's offers small, affordable $300-$4000 loans to help borrowers that most banks won't touch get their first loan, build a good credit score, and level the playing field in America. Since 2014, Aura has lent >$800 million. Board, July 2020-Jan 2021 CEO/Board, 2013-July 2020 -- Grew Aura to 200 employees by 2020 across 3 offices: SF, LA, and Mexico City. Built a highly talented management team (COO, CFO, CRO, VP Product, VP Eng, VP Risk, etc.) with 100+ years of experience. -- Helped launch B2B2C strategy for acquiring under-banked customers in 2014 which grew to 50+ retailers, 900+ stores, resulting in >1.5 million applicants, >600,00 loans, and >300K active customers. -- Grew revenue from $0 to $100 million by 2020; achieved contribution margin breakeven in 2018. -- Helped launch a micro-securitization strategy that raised >$500 million of debt capital from over 70+ investors, including insurance companies, banks, and impact funds. -- Raised $130 million of venture/growth capital over 6 rounds from 2012 to 2020 and another $280 million in corporate debt, revolving credit facilities, and term loans to finance Aura's loan growth. -- Inc500, SF Biz Times Top 25 Fastest Growing Companies, E&Y Top 500, and other awards for social impact and growth.

Board of Directors, Investor

2014 - 2020

Founded in 2014, Talent provides tech-enabled career services focused on resume and online profile review and creation. The Company leverages a proprietary technology platform, network of resume reviewers, and BPO model to efficiently serve job seeker demand for such services. Through its set of core brands including TopResume, TopCV, TopInterview, ResumeRabbit and ZipJob, Talent has had more than 20 million people sign up for resume reviews since it was founded. Talent was successfully acquired in December 2020 by BV Partners.

Seed Investor

2005 - 2015

Board Member

2012 - 2014

Tricolor helps hard working, under-banked Hispanics acquire high quality ($12-$20K) used cars, establish a credit history, and build assets (equity in their car) in the US