Hi, I’m Heidi.

I help exceptional founders and fund managers access capital and connect with innovation assets in New York State.

My Background

I have a diverse background guiding companies through the process of starting and expanding their businesses. My experience as an entrepreneur, venture financier, and an academic allows me to help facilitate the transfer of technology from the lab to commercial application. I have extensive experience financing young companies and a deep knowledge of non-dilutive resources available to founders. My academic research looks at the intersection of public and private efforts to bolster entrepreneurship in rural and redeveloping areas.

  • At Pioneer Bank, I was the Venture and Growth Banking Relationship Manager. In this role, I provided venture debt solutions, effectively supporting and fueling the growth of numerous innovative startups and successfully facilitated the distribution and oversight of $116 million in lending as part of the Payment Protection Program (PPP).

    At Empire State Development, I help manage a $52 million fund of funds that invests in fund mangers who provide hands-on support to founders. In this role, I support fund managers who want to drive economic growth and ensure venture capital is available to historically underserved populations.

  • Over the past decade, I have become an expert in entrepreneur-led economic development, utilizing my knowledge to empower startups and small businesses to thrive in competitive markets.

    I gained firsthand experience in fostering entrepreneurial ecosystems and driving economic development at Innovate 518, the Capital Region’s Innovation Hot Spot.

    Serving at the Chairperson for the Troy Industrial Development Authority (IDA) deepened my understanding of the intricacies of local business growth and provided me with valuable insights into the needs of entrepreneurs.

  • I have helped hundreds of businesses start, grow, and innovate. My own entrepreneurial journey started when I opened Plumb Oyster Bar, in 2016. Running a full service restaurant was a master class in managing people, understanding supply chain, and keeping my business and values aligned.

    In 2018, I started a SASS company, Receipt HQ, Inc. that received a lot of interest, but I ultimately quit quickly because it did not have the ability to scale.

  • I am the Ackner-Newman Clinical Professor in Entrepreneurship at the University at Albany where I teach Social Entrepreneurship and Special Topics in Female Entrepreneurship.

    My research centers on the types of actors and factors most associated with high-growth entrepreneurship and best practices for fostering high-growth entrepreneurial ecosystems to ensure social prosperity.