Claire Chang
InvestorFounding Partner at igniteXL Venture
Palo Alto, CA
Writes $100K – $500K checks · typically $200K
About
Claire immigrated from Korea to the US at age 12 and is bilingual and bicultural. She launched a global accelerator in 2014 supporting over 200 Korean startups expanding to the US, and in 2018 founded SVBeautyTech, an independent beauty-tech accelerator focused on female founders.
Invests in
AI & Machine LearningConsumerDirect to ConsumerHealthtechRetail Tech
Experience
- TeffieBoard Membercurrent2025 — presentGreater London
- National Retail FederationNRF Innovation Advisory Committeecurrent2023 — present
- UncoverBoard Membercurrent2023 — presentNairobi County, Kenya
- igniteXL VenturesFounding Partnercurrent2020 — presentPalo Alto, California, United States
- ettitudeBoard Observercurrent2022 — present
- Perkins School for the BlindAdvisory Group Membercurrent2023 — presentHowe Innovation Center for Disability Tech
- buywithBoard Member2022 — 2025
- igniteXL Global AcceleratorManaging Director2014 — 2018Silicon Valley
- Asian Business League of San FranciscoChairperson of the Board2003 — 2014San Francisco
- Booga VenturesExecutive in Residence2010 — 2014
- Brightstone Partners, LLC.Managing Partner2011 — 2013Palo Alto, CA
- LazyfeedChief Community Officer/VP of Marketing2009 — 2010
- Korean IT Intl. Cooperation AgencyDirector of Business Development2005 — 2008
- Westlake Global ManagementHead of Corporate Marketing2002 — 2005
- Indigo InternationalCo-Founder & Managing Partner2000 — 2002
Education
- SFSUMA, International Relations with Professional Emphasis in International Marketing1998 — 2000
- SFSUBA, Sociology1996 — 1998
Skills & more
Early-Stage StartupsEntrepreneurship79Start-ups80Social Media Marketing42Business Development61Marketing Strategy34Strategic Partnerships27Marketing27Product Marketing21Integrated Marketing13Public Relations19Marketing Communications10
+12 more
Media StrategyGo-to-market StrategyEvent PlanningEvent MarketingConsumer MarketingMedia RelationsDigital StrategyGlobal MarketingStrategyStrategic PlanningPersonal BrandingLeadershipLanguages English · Korean
From Claire's professional profile.
Shared employers
Also worked at National Retail Federation13
Harley FinkelsteinInvestor at Felicis VenturesVincent DialloInvestor at DaphniKelly GoetschPresident, Pipe17 at Mu VenturesArpon RayPartner at Coefficient CapitalJanie YuPartner at LFX Venture PartnersDave FinneganStrategic Advisor at NewRoad Capital Partners, LLC
+ 7 more
