The Purse Podcast

Hosted by Jana Hlistova

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165

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Aug 2026

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About the show

At The Purse: Women and Capital, we explore how women are transforming the architecture of finance. From angel investors to institutional leaders, from fintech founders to capital allocators, this is where women, wealth and power intersect to influence what gets funded — and what gets built next.

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August 12, 202647 min

#166: Gender smart investing, climate action and systems change in finance with Sana Kapadia

Sana Kapadia is Chief Catalyst at Heading for Change, investing in solutions that advance climate, nature, biodiversity and gender equality. Her career has spanned gender and climate finance, impact investing and equity research. She is focused on leveraging capital as a tool for social change and to support deep and intersectional systemic shifts. We cover the following in our conversation: 00:00 Welcome 01:44 Heading for Change mission 04:51 Why gender lens matters 08:41 Suzanne Biegel legacy 12:18 Understanding the 2X Challenge 14:33 From niche to mainstream 18:54 Climate and gender nexus 25:25 Inner work of systems change 29:44 Generational shifts in capital 32:02 Care economy as infrastructure 36:08 Measuring inclusion and impact 38:46 ESG and DEI backlash 41:33 Staying the course together 44:54 Redesigning finance for equity. **** The reports mentioned in this episode are: Heading for Change Insights Reports Investment Toolkit & Guidance Other climate and gender Tools, Resources Climate & gender investing overview Tools Metrics Gender care and climate rubric Project Catalyst & SAGE Criterion report Pivotal care economy report ***

August 5, 202639 min

#165: Early-stage funds, female founders and healthtech with Triin Linamagi

Triin Linamagi is the Founding Partner of Arãya Sie Fund, an early-stage venture fund backing the next generation of women-led businesses in the UK and Europe. The fund invests at the pre-seed and seed stage across healthcare, climate, fintech, and deeptech/AI. She is also the Founder and CEO of Sie Ventures, an angel syndicate and capital platform. Sie Ventures improves access to high-quality investment opportunities for angel investors while supporting women founders through dedicated programs to help them fund and scale their ventures. Triin brings over a decade of investment experience across multiple venture capital funds. Prior to her career in VC, she spent several years as a founder and operator building technology companies, giving her a unique dual perspective as both investor and entrepreneur. 00:00 Guest intro 02:07 Smart menstrual cup investment 04:43 Why Emm matters for health 08:18 Founder origin and team 10:20 VC blind spots in femtech 13:46 Co-investing and role models 18:19 Launching Araya Sie Fund 22:29 Fund structure and community 26:12 British Business Bank investment 28:35 AI and deep tech gap 34:40 Fixing the capital system 39:26 Closing thoughts. ****

June 16, 202637 min

#164: From scientist to founder: Building Zonova and raising capital with Dr Georgia Fleet

Dr Georgia Fleet is a scientist turned entrepreneur on a mission to tackle one of healthcare's most persistent challenges: hospital-acquired infections. She founded Zonova on International Women's Day in 2023 and is as CEO & Co-Founder. A materials scientist by training, Georgia spotted how medical devices drive hospital infections, and how few commercial solutions exist to address it. Three years on, the company's Z-ROS® antimicrobial materials platform is in active commercial discussions with global device manufacturers to make hospital-acquired infections a problem of the past. Georgia is a 2024/25 Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award winner, named Most Disruptive at Women in Tech EU 2025 and was listed #1 in TechRound's Top 50 Women in Startups & Tech in 2026 - recognising her commitment to impact, innovation, and women in STEM. We cover the following in our conversation: 01:59 Why hospital infections persist 04:40 Breakthrough: The "aha" moment 06:50 Pivot to platform model 08:25 Founder market fit 11:05 Fundraising reality check 17:20 Pitching platform and hiring CCO 19:43 Women investors 27:30 Fundraising experience 30:06 IP and impact strategy 31:44 Looking ahead: Ten year vision 33:51 Advice for new women investors 36:38 Final thoughts

May 16, 202648 min

#163: (Repost) Money and love: how to make important life decisions with Abby Davisson

Abby Davisson is an award-winning Fortune 200 leader-turned-author and entrepreneur. Prior to founding the Money and Love Institute , her social impact career included nearly a decade at global retailer Gap Inc., where she served as president of the Gap Foundation and co-founded the company’s employee resource group for working parents. Abby’s prior professional experience includes strategy-focused roles across the public, private, and non-profit sectors, as well as a stint (alongside her day job) as an alumni career advisor and coach at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. Abby holds a BA from Yale University and an MBA and MA in Education from Stanford University. We cover the following in our conversation: 02:37 Why focus on money and love? 08:09 A lesson learned the hard way 10:46 Why decisions feel zero sum 12:57 Clarity and the "Five Cs" 16:41 Scenario 1: choosing a mate 23:09 Scenario 2: family and career 34:54 Scenario 3: breakup or divorce 39:02 Courage and better communication 44:46 Final advice. ****

April 24, 202627 min

#162: Empowering women, financial planning, cash ISAs, economic shifts, and inclusive advice with Shaz Bishop

Shaz Bishop is a wealth manager at RBC Brewin Dolphin. With over 21 years of expertise in financial services, Shaz advises private clients on comprehensive wealth strategies, including tax-efficient investments, pension planning, inheritance tax mitigation, trusts, and international investments. Her holistic approach empowers individuals and families to navigate complex financial landscapes with confidence. Beyond her advisory role, Shaz is a dedicated advocate for financial literacy and women’s empowerment in wealth management. As a mother to two young daughters, she champions diversity and inclusion in the industry, striving to create a future where equitable representation is the norm. She’s passionate about educating underserved communities and breaking down barriers to financial access, ensuring the next generation inherits a more inclusive financial ecosystem. We cover the following in our conversation: 02:22 Money origins story 03:24 Cash ISA changes explained 05:04 Women and investing shift 08:05 Retirement barriers for women 10:37 Choosing the right adviser 11:45 One size policy limits 13:50 Cashflow planning tool 15:18 Risk and advice framing 17:57 Reviews and life events 18:59 Family planning and pensions 22:37 Measuring success beyond markets 24:02 Industry gaps and wealth transfer 26:54 Closing ***

April 12, 202633 min

#161: Why culture matters in growth, AI's market impact, and US growth investing with Kirsty Gibson

Kirsty Gibson is an Investment Manager in the US Equity Growth Team and has been a portfolio decision maker since 2016. She joined Baillie Gifford in 2012 and became a partner in 2025. Prior to joining the US Equity Growth Team, Kirsty also spent several years in the small and large-cap global equities departments. She graduated MA (Hons) in Economics in 2011 and MSc in Carbon Management in 2012, both from the University of Edinburgh. We cover the following in our conversation: 01:57 Kirsty’s path to investing 04:49 Why culture matters in growth 06:52 Foundational vs created culture 09:27 When founders return 11:47 Architecting culture on purpose 14:49 Shopify’s AI pivot 19:06 Stripe’s culture in execution 20:47 Acquiring Bridge and the opportunity in stablecoins 22:38 AI shockwaves and market panic 29:31 What winners look like by 2030 31:34 Final takeaways. See: "The cultural architects: how great founders shape exceptional companies in changing times", written by Kirsty Gibson. ***

March 16, 202650 min

#160: (Repost) Navigating gender bias: insights and strategies with Dr Amy Diehl

Amy Diehl, PhD, is an award-winning information technology leader, currently serving as Chief Information Officer at Wilson College in Chambersburg, PA. She is also a gender equity researcher and author of the new book Glass Walls: Shattering the Six Gender Bias Barriers Still Holding Women Back at Work . Her writing has appeared in numerous scholarly journal articles and book chapters as well as in Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Ms. Magazine. She is also a sought-after speaker, consultant, and lawsuit expert witness. Her passion is universal gender equality so that society and organisations can thrive and women can succeed. We cover the following: 01:50 Defining gender bias 02:52 How gender bias affects money and power 05:15 Six barriers overview 06:11 Male privilege and constraints 07:20 Support and devaluation 08:36 Hostility (including female hostility) 13:35 Acquiescence and opting out 16:19 Business case and examples 21:00 Leadership accountability and ERGs 22:44 Measuring bias 24:44 Gender bias incident example 26:55 Don’t internalise gender bias 29:13 Build support networks 30:06 Toxic workplaces 33:15 Leaders must own change 34:03 Stories that wake up leaders 36:59 Male norms and work design 39:24 Allies taking action 40:45 LinkedIn as safe space 43:29 Kamala Harris double standards 48:21 Progress and hope. ***

February 14, 202618 min

#159: Investment infrastructure, women's financial power, and tech innovation with Symmie Swil

Symmie Swil is the UK General Manager of Europe’s leading investment infrastructure provider, Upvest. With nearly twenty years of banking and fintech experience, Symmie is passionate about broadening access to investing. Symmie has previously held positions as Deputy Chief Operating Officer & Chief of Staff at Investec, and Head of SME Banking at Starling. We cover the following: 01:09 Symmie Swil: From banking to building investing infrastructure 02:41 What still holds women back from investing? 04:14 The gender wealth & gender pension gap explained. 07:41 What UpVest actually does (The ‘Stripe for investing’ behind the apps) 09:33 Fractional investing 101: Why lower minimums change everything 11:33 Trust in embedded investing: Transparency, security & regulation 12:53 UpVest’s UK expansion: The opportunity, the data, and responsible scaling 14:28 Five to ten year vision: Women designing the future of wealth tech 16:28 Final thoughts.

January 16, 202654 min

#158: Rethinking early-stage investing for diverse founders with Simon Glass

Simon Glass is the Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Qodeo, a platform created to address the challenges he observed while working across the venture ecosystem. Qodeo matches venture and private equity investors with entrepreneurs, with a particular focus on founders from diverse, regional, and female communities. Simon has previously worked at two UK venture capital firms, including Amadeus Capital Partners, the first backer of ARM Holdings. His broader career includes roles at EY in academia and media, at WPP as Deputy Chair of a publishing house, and in project finance where he supported Roy Hill, the world’s largest private iron ore mine, in raising $9 billion. Simon has written for the Financial Times, holds a BA, MA, and MBA from the University of Cambridge, and completed training in corporate finance at London Business School. We cover the following: 00:11 Meet Simon Glass: CEO of Qodeo 01:13 Exploring the venture ecosystem 02:35 Challenges for underrepresented founders 05:55 Platform: matching investors and entrepreneurs 14:05 Addressing unconscious bias in investing 19:32 Comparing UK and US startup ecosystems 28:40 Entrepreneurial boom in Europe 32:01 Cultural shifts in entrepreneurship 32:38 Moving the needle in who VCs invest in 36:58 Challenges with angel investors 49:28 Improving the startup funding ecosystem 53:43 Final thoughts. *** For more information on Qodeo, see: https://qodeo.com/ ***

December 12, 202548 min

#157: Investment in health, AI-driven biotech, women's healthcare, long-term vision with Julia Angeles

Julie Angeles is an Investment Manager, Partner at Baillie Gifford. She has been a member of the International Growth Portfolio Construction Group since 2017. She joined Baillie Gifford in 2008 and became a Partner in 2022. She previously worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, advising firms in Denmark, Russia and Hungary. Julia obtained a BSc in 1999, an MSc in 2001 and a PhD in 2005 in Economics from the University of Aarhus, Denmark. She is fluent in Russian and Danish. We cover the following: 00:56 AI and long horizon investing in healthcare 05:24 The evolution of Moderna and platform science 13:19 AI's impact on healthcare access and efficiency 21:45 The untapped potential of women's health 24:27 The need for more women in investing 24:59 The disparity in female health investment 25:29 Male allies in women's health 26:53 Gameto: revolutionising fertility 28:15 The science behind Gameto's innovations 29:42 Ethical considerations in biotech 31:14 The future of female longevity 31:45 Brain health: the next frontier 32:42 Progress in neurodegenerative disease research 36:21 The role of AI in healthcare 37:30 Addressing gender disparities in health research 42:13 The promise of personalised medicine 43:15 The future of human health: prevention and early detection 47:18 Final thoughts and optimism for the future.