Madison McIlwain is a Partner at Defy.vc who manages the firm’s seed portfolio. See sector focus and contact routes.
Madison McIlwain is a Partner at Defy.vc who manages the firm’s seed portfolio, having previously served as an Associate before growing into the role by age 26. Her investment thesis targets seed-stage companies across enterprise, artificial intelligence, fintech, consumer, and SaaS sectors, with a particular passion for retail innovation and supply chain technology. Defy.vc’s typical check size ranges from $100,000 to $10 million, and McIlwain focuses on sourcing and supporting early-stage deals. Notable portfolio companies she has sourced include Thrilling, a sustainable fashion marketplace, and Prive, a consumer technology brand. McIlwain co-hosts “The Room Podcast,” a top technology podcast featured on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Media list, where she interviews founders and investors to highlight diverse stories. She believes everyone deserves access to the “room where it happens,” a point of view that drives her public writing and podcasting to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs.
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