From Filming A Cappella Concerts to Venture Capital: A Journey with Molly Alter

Molly Alter is a woman of many talents. She works as a mocumentary filmmaker on a project about a world where charades is a big industry. She is a caesar salad enthusiast who documents her reviews of various restaurants on a blog called JULIUS. And now, she is the newest partner at Northzone.

Alter's path to venture capital was unconventional. Growing up in a family of journalists, she was heavily involved in creative pursuits like theater and improv comedy. These interests led her to start a company at Harvard that filmed a cappella concerts and dance recitals, setting her on the path to VC.

After starting the company as a way to make money, it grew into a successful business with 27 employees. Insight Partners later approached Alter through a Facebook message, inviting her to join their analyst program. Despite her lack of experience in the business world, Alter saw this as an opportunity to learn about starting companies and gain exposure to different business models.

Her journey continued as she transitioned to Index as a partner in London in 2020, before joining Northzone in New York City in 2023. Promoted to partner at Northzone, Alter now focuses on vertical software investments. She finds her role as a VC fulfilling, using her curiosity and interest in how things work to identify opportunities for innovation.

Alter's creative background has proven to be an asset in her role as a VC. Her unique perspectives led to successful investments like Frame.io, a cloud-based video collaboration platform that was later acquired by Adobe. She believes that her diverse interests help her build strong relationships with founders, earning their trust and navigating the challenges of venture capital.

Despite the challenges, Alter remains enthusiastic about her work in venture capital. She is determined to identify startups with true potential and is optimistic about the future of vertical software investments. Her passion for the industry is evident as she looks forward to meeting founders and pursuing new investment opportunities at Northzone.