Masha Bucher, founder and general partner of venture capital firm Day One Ventures, joined the Milken Institute Global Conference, held from May 5 to May 8. As a successful entrepreneur, her contributions to the Milken Institute’s Center for the Financial Markets were invaluable. In addition to lending her advice and sharing her professional experience during the event, she was also inducted as an official member of the Milken Institute.
Named a Milken Young Global Leader, Bucher has shaped the tech world since she launched Day One Ventures in 2018. Her ethos, derived from the connection between art and technology, has produced a portfolio valued in excess of $35 billion. She’s made a splash in venture capital not only because of her youth and business acumen, but also because she prioritizes the needs of women and minorities, who are often overlooked in the tech world.
Inside the Conference
Themed “Shaping a Shared Future,” the Milken Institute Global Conference featured a lineup of more than 800 speakers and 150 presentations and panels. There were 4,000 participants and more than 1,000 thought leaders.
As a thought leader herself, Bucher shared her own vision of how to help people lead better, more fulfilling lives with the help of technology. Today’s trendsetters must consider not only how innovation affects us all in the present, but also what the larger ramifications will be for the future.
To help, Bucher is supporting those who might otherwise be lost in the tech world. By approving early-stage funding for diverse founders, including women, LGBTQ+ members, and immigrants, she’s helped people launch innovative businesses. She also provides them with the hands-on support they need to market to their desired demographic, hire the right people for the right positions, and network with like-minded professionals.
Technology, Inspiration, and Innovation
Bucher wants to inspire her partners and colleagues, but knows that it’s a symbiotic relationship. She is just as inspired by their thoughts and ideas of what a brighter future should be. Bucher views art and technology as deeply intertwined.
Stemming largely from her family’s influence in the art world, she’s stepped outside art collecting into a bigger space. She believes that art allows you to find the human elements in technology, to see what brings us together rather than keeps us apart. Bucher’s portfolio companies all share a common theme of helping technology and society exist in harmony. Stronger connections and more diversity allow all to live in a more equitable world.
Masha Bucher’s Professional Journey
Bucher was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2019, a year after she started Day One Ventures. Before founding her VC firm, she founded M&A PR Studio, and was vice president of communications at Acronis, head of communications at Runa Capital, and a budding angel investor. During these formative years of her career, she learned how public relations, communication, and marketing impact the professional world. She also witnessed the power of collaboration and how it didn’t necessarily take much of an investment to turn someone’s life (and business) around. More than just offering money, Bucher wanted to give struggling tech leaders the all-around assistance they needed to successfully execute their plans. This kind of hands-on help has been an invaluable boon for the founders in the portfolio. Whether they needed to fill a specific role or network with people who understood their concept, the staff at Day One Ventures has stayed with them every step of the way.
By the Numbers
Bucher is a leader and a team player. Her influence and skills have been valued at every enterprise she’s joined. At VC firm Runa Capital, which specialized in deep tech and enterprise software, she played a key role in growing the company to become one of the most active firms in Eastern Europe. After founding her own PR studio, she quickly grew its revenue into the tens of millions of dollars before selling shares to her colleagues. It’s no wonder that during her first round of funding for Day One Ventures in 2018, she raised $20 million. Two years later, she raised $52 million and accrued $200 million in assets under management.
Smart, committed, and undeniably forward-thinking, Bucher’s company is founded on a philosophy originally outlined by Jeff Bezos. Dubbed the Day 1 philosophy, Bezos emphasized that it was the customers who came first and that it takes risk, innovation, and long-term planning to achieve your goals. By embodying these ideals, Bucher has grown her company alongside the founders she supports. Considering that her portfolio founders are all seeking to grow their own communities (and beyond), it’s a virtuous circle that she’s managed to grow into a billion-dollar business.
The Entrepreneurial Spirit
Entrepreneurs in the tech world are not defined by their backgrounds; they’re defined by their work ethic, creativity, and vision. They come to the table not only to learn, but also to add value to their selected industry, pushing it into the future.
Bucher has carved out a place for herself in VC by helping people from some of the most underrepresented communities get the support they need to make their dreams come true. As a PR pro, she saw how it wasn’t always the best ideas that managed to get ahead. Sometimes, it was just the ones with the best storytelling behind them, and they could only get that creative spin if they had the resources to hire a top PR firm.
With Day One Ventures, Bucher has leveled the playing field by opening her doors to the people who show the most promise. Whether she’s attending global conferences or setting up introductions, her spirit has been the driver behind both her success and the successes of the people she supports.
