Where Innovation Meets Enterprise: Inside HearstLab’s 2025 Startup Showcase
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By Monica Vanover on April 14, 2025
True partnership fuels innovation. That’s the driving force behind HearstLab, the mission-driven, strategic venture capital arm of the legacy global media company Hearst. With millions of dollars committed annually to early-stage, women-led B2B SaaS companies, HearstLab is on a mission to do more than invest. The mission is to empower women technology founders with capital, resources, and access to Hearst’s 360+ businesses with the goal of building sustainable, profitable businesses that drive meaningful change in their industries.
HearstLab’s proven approach shows that when women innovators lead, industries transform. From making consumer packaged goods (CPG) supply chains more carbon efficient to revolutionizing how consumers influence each other through scalable micro-influencer marketing, HearstLab’s portfolio companies are creating a more sustainable, equitable, and forward-thinking future for all.
HeartLab’s story is a great example of what can happen when capital is invested equitably, said Eve Burton, Hearst Executive Vice President & Chief Legal Officer and Chairwoman of HearstLab. After investing more than $100 million, “The Lab has created a collected value of $2.7 billion in the companies in which we’ve invested,” she said at the firm’s annual showcase this April at the Hearst Tower in Manhattan. “Making our founders wealthy and driving a good return for Hearst is critical. But what’s most exciting is finding companies that can have a real impact on Hearst, and that we can have a real impact on, too.”
Over the last 12 months alone, HearstLab welcomed 18 new portfolio companies, made its first investments in Japan, completed a historic GCC investment in Saudi Arabia, and expanded its Scout network of women advisors to over 220 countries worldwide.
From Founder to Author, Meet Liz Zalman
Making our founders wealthy and driving a good return for Hearst is critical. But what’s most exciting is finding companies that can have a real impact on Hearst, and that we can have a real impact on, too.”
-Eve Burton, EVP & Chief Legal Officer at HEARST and Chairwoman of HearstLab
Aliquam non arcu sit amet eros congue efficitur nec aliquam dui.
In Zalman's new book, Founder vs Investor, co-authored with Jerry Neumann, she offers an unfiltered look at the often complex relationship between founders and investors. Drawing from her own experience, the book explores the delicate balance between partnership and negotiation, empowering founders to approach fundraising with confidence.
After all, the investor-founder relationship, while complicated, can be uniquely rewarding. “I’ve learned that relationships with investors might end up being the longest relationship at a company,” she said. “There are a lot of outcomes and paths to success for a company, and it’s on founders to determine what’s right at any given time.”
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Research shows only 5% of homes are listed for sale. Unlisted gives homebuyers access to the other 95%. Using AI and machine learning, the platform reveals off-market real estate opportunities, connecting homeowners who are interested in selling their home to the right buyer, homebuyers frustrated by the traditional real estate market, and agents like never before.
Hill likens what she’s doing at Unlisted with LinkedIn: you shouldn’t create your LinkedIn the day you need a new job, and you shouldn’t create your home listing on the day you want to sell your house. “Unlisted is creating an opportunity to perpetually attract interest so you can really understand your real estate options and opportunities,” she said.
At HearstLab, innovation isn’t just a buzzword. It’s the driving force behind meaningful industry change. In 2025, its portfolio companies are tackling complex challenges across industries and partnering with Hearst business divisions:
Leading the Way in Innovation and Impact
Sponsored by HearstLab
Why HearstLab?
The statistics remain sobering. According to Forbes, less than 2 percent of all venture capital investment goes to women-founded companies, despite consistent evidence that women-led businesses deliver superior performance compared to their male counterparts. This gap underscores the importance of HearstLab’s mission.
When it comes to navigating the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, Liz Zalman knows the terrain well. A serial entrepreneur with multiple successful ventures to her credit, Zalman is the embodiment of the kind of founder HearstLab champions. At this year’s showcase, Zalman took center stage to share insights from her life not just as a founder, but as someone who has successfully exited her company StrongDM and is now building her next, Sandgarden. HearstLab has invested in both.
“The thing that founders often get wrong,” Zalman said, “is they don’t feel like they have any power, when in fact the opposite is true.”
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This year’s Showcase and CEO Summit welcomed 250 women CEOs, industry leaders, and tech founders for a two-day event. Featuring in-person roundtables, workshops, and presentations offering actionable insights on everything from B2B lead generation to AI hacks, the event connected founders with investors and industry leaders.
The aim is win-win. The showcase is an opportunity to fund capital to launch potential pilot programs, and ultimately, create a space to have honest conversations about the challenges and opportunities unique to being a female founder. For HearsLab, the Showcase and CEO Summit is an opportunity to find the next generation of innovators that will drive Hearst forward, a sentiment echoed by Hearst CEO Steve Swartz in his opening remarks.
Swartz shared that he’s heard Hearst described as a “138-year-old startup,” noting the history of a company that started in newspapers and magazines, then moved into television. Today, it’s grown into something bigger. “For such a large company, we are trying in so many ways to diversify and be open to new ideas,” he said, adding that under Burton’s leadership, the Lab is focused on backing companies that align with Hearst’s evolving vision.
Statusphere (by Kristen Wiley) is a programmatic micro-influencer marketing platform that is increasing consumer trust and brand engagement through consumer-to-consumer (C2C) marketing model. They’re partnering with A&E Networks to create relevant micro influencer communities.
Planet FWD (by Julia Collins) is the leading decarbonization software platform for the consumer industry and partnering with Good Housekeeping UK to launch a pilot Green Seal program, with the ultimate vision of helping eco-conscious shoppers make more sustainable choices.
Time Study (by Kishau Rogers) offers healthcare organizations an enterprise solution for time tracking and TiLT (by Jennifer Henderson) takes the complexity out of managing employee leave and are both partnering with QGenda to increase workforce efficiency and employee wellness at the enterprise-level.
In the spring of 2024, Katie Hill, founder and CEO of Unlisted, took the stage at Pitch HearstLab New York to present her groundbreaking real estate technology platform. With a vision to make off-market homes available to everyone, Hill’s pitch captivated the competition's judges. Out of hundreds of applicants, Unlisted stood out, earning Hill a $100,000 investment and a coveted spot in HearstLab’s portfolio.
“When we think about buying a home, we think of it as black and white," said Hill during her presentation at the 2025 Showcase. “Either a home is for sale or not for sale. However, two-thirds of us sit in this grey space. And it’s valued at over $31 trillion.”
Breaking Barriers in Real Estate
The Intersection of Sports, Media, and Technology
HearstLab's investment strategy focuses on the organization’s core areas of expertise–media, enterprise technology, data analytics, fintech, healthcare, and transportation to create natural synergies. An example is the panel discussion with HearstLab Scouts and ESPN’s Kati Fernandez and Issa Balde featuring portfolio companies Mindshow and VRTL. The discussion highlighted how these start-ups are reshaping the fan experience and content creation landscape in sports media.
VRTL, founded by Courtney Jeffries, continues to build its relationship with ESPN, developing new ways for fans to engage with their favorite teams through immersive technology. Meanwhile, Mindshow, by Sharon Bordas, is pioneering real-time CG animated content creation, offering media companies powerful new storytelling tools.
With every investment, HearstLab is making meaningful strides toward closing the gender gap in venture capital and showcasing innovation previously overlooked.
The Future of HearstLab
-Eve Burton, EVP & Chief Legal Officer at HEARST and Chairwoman of HearstLab
Together we’ve built something rare, a model where corporate innovation and startup energy are not at odds but are in sync.”
“At HearstLab we’ve always believed that when you bring together bold founders and a forward-thinking company like Hearst, you don’t just get great ideas you get transformation,” Burton said. “Together we’ve built something rare, a model where corporate innovation and startup energy are not at odds but are in sync.”
The 2025 Showcase reflects this momentum as a celebration of progress and a commitment to what’s next. As HearstLab continues to grow its portfolio, it remains focused on supporting founders who are driving industries forward.
For women entrepreneurs ready to take their startups to the next level, HearstLab is open to investment year-round. Learn more by visiting the HearstLab website or following them on LinkedIn.
Eve Burton
Liz Zalman & Eve Burton
Kristen Wiley
Katie Hill
Kati Fernandez, Issa Balde, Courtney Jeffries, & Sharon Bordas
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Sponsored by HearstLab
Research shows only 5% of homes are listed for sale. Unlisted gives homebuyers access to the other 95%. Using AI and machine learning, the platform reveals off-market real estate opportunities, connecting homeowners who are interested in selling their home to the right buyer, homebuyers frustrated by the traditional real estate market, and agents like never before.
Hill likens what she’s doing at Unlisted with LinkedIn: you shouldn’t create your LinkedIn the day you need a new job, and you shouldn’t create your home listing on the day you want to sell your house. “Unlisted is creating an opportunity to perpetually attract interest so you can really understand your real estate options and opportunities,” she said.
At HearstLab, innovation isn’t just a buzzword. It’s the driving force behind meaningful industry change. In 2025, its portfolio companies are tackling complex challenges across industries and partnering with Hearst business divisions:
Leading the Way in Innovation and Impact
In Zalman's new book, Founder vs Investor, co-authored with Jerry Neumann, she offers an unfiltered look at the often complex relationship between founders and investors. Drawing from her own experience, the book explores the delicate balance between partnership and negotiation, empowering founders to approach fundraising with confidence.
After all, the investor-founder relationship, while complicated, can be uniquely rewarding. “I’ve learned that relationships with investors might end up being the longest relationship at a company,” she said. “There are a lot of outcomes and paths to success for a company, and it’s on founders to determine what’s right at any given time.”
HeartLab’s story is a great example of what can happen when capital is invested equitably, said Eve Burton, Hearst Executive Vice President & Chief Legal Officer and Chairwoman of HearstLab. After investing more than $100 million, “The Lab has created a collected value of $2.7 billion in the companies in which we’ve invested,” she said at the firm’s annual showcase this April at the Hearst Tower in Manhattan. “Making our founders wealthy and driving a good return for Hearst is critical. But what’s most exciting is finding companies that can have a real impact on Hearst, and that we can have a real impact on, too.”
Over the last 12 months alone, HearstLab welcomed 18 new portfolio companies, made its first investments in Japan, completed a historic GCC investment in Saudi Arabia, and expanded its Scout network of women advisors to over 220 countries worldwide.
From Founder to Author, Meet Liz Zalman
True partnership fuels innovation. That’s the driving force behind HearstLab, the mission-driven, strategic venture capital arm of the legacy global media company Hearst. With millions of dollars committed annually to early-stage, women-led B2B SaaS companies, HearstLab is on a mission to do more than invest. The mission is to empower women technology founders with capital, resources, and access to Hearst’s 360+ businesses with the goal of building sustainable, profitable businesses that drive meaningful change in their industries.
HearstLab’s proven approach shows that when women innovators lead, industries transform. From making consumer packaged goods (CPG) supply chains more carbon efficient to revolutionizing how consumers influence each other through scalable micro-influencer marketing, HearstLab’s portfolio companies are creating a more sustainable, equitable, and forward-thinking future for all.
By Monica Vanover on April 14, 2025
Learn more
-Eve Burton, Executive Vice President & Chief Legal Officer and Chairwoman of HearstLab
Together we’ve built something rare, a model where corporate innovation and startup energy are not at odds but are in sync.”
Eve Burton
Liz Zalman & Eve Burton
Kristen Wiley
Katie Hill