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Stephen DeBerry is founder and General Partner of BRONZE, a leading US venture capital…
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Stephen DeBerry shared thisSo proud to support Milo. My kids are nearly out of the nest. Man, I wish Ali had this at the beginning of the race! If you’re a parent check out Milo now!Stephen DeBerry shared thisAs so many of you know, I'm building Milo (joinmilo.com), the first specialized AI for parents. We think that tech built for parents should work as hard as they do, and should be as dependable. It’s why our mission is to not only build the most delightful Family AI, but also the most reliable. Today, I'm excited to give a sneak peek into how we’re working with OpenAI on their reinforcement fine-tuning alpha, an important milestone in this mission. Everyday parents deal with a firehose of information and interruptions from WhatsApp snippets to wild font pdfs. Milo's job is to assess what action needs to be taken - create events or reminders. Alert on conflicts or store info for later. Taking on the mental load is not just about processing a school calendar and getting dates into a calendar haphazardly. It means complex family scheduling and conflict detection, multi-part reminders and recurrence rules, accurate event categorization, and consistent formatting of the family calendar so everyone in the family knows what’s going on. That’s been challenging with GPT4o class models, even with fine-tuning and sophisticated prompt work. Our best efforts landed at best around ~70% accuracy. Which might sound great for some categories or a demo, but not what busy parents needed and could trust day in and day out. When I shared with Boris at OpenAI, he suggested we try the RFT alpha on the o-1 class models. The results were encouraging right from the start (first chart). First, the impact of the new advanced reasoning models is clear. Standard models struggled with parent-specific context and formatting needs. We needed a smart model even if slower, not a fast, “dumb” one - and base o-3 mini had a clear improvement in reducing the % of incorrect responses. But the real impact can be seen with the fine-tuning for the shape of common family info actions. We nearly doubled the % of correct actions while drastically decreasing the % of incorrect actions. This may not sound like a big deal but it's one of the most important to a strong foundation. Yes it’s exciting that AI can take on things that are frustrating and overwhelming but how do you have confidence that the agent acting on your behalf is doing the right thing? The thing you wanted? What happens when your AI assistant confuses an early dismissal with a playdate? Or misses a location update for the soccer game? Accuracy isn't just a metric—it's peace of mind for busy parents. Even in way more complex cases with multi-step and detailed reasoning, we're seeing encouraging results that mean we'll be able to really get into the nitty gritty of logistics and conflicts and anticipating things around the corner. Excited to share more over the coming weeks. And if you’re a parent (or know a parent) who could use a little forcefield via simple SMS and work cals, check out Milo - http://joinmilo.com
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Stephen DeBerry shared thisI’m proud to stand with several other venture capital industry leaders in supporting Vice President Kamala Harris through VCs for Kamala. “Investors involved in the pledge include Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn; Mark Cuban, founder of Mark Cuban Companies and former principal owner of the Dallas Mavericks; Vinod Khosla, founder and partner of Khosla Ventures; Ron Conway, managing partner of SV Angel; Jewel Burks Solomon, managing partner of Collab Capital; Barbara Iyayi, founder and managing partner of Unicorn Growth Capital; and Stephen DeBerry, managing partner of BRONZE, among others.” I encourage all of you to do what you can to support Kamala! I’m here for any of you who may want to discuss. This is obviously foundational. Let’s go! https://lnkd.in/gWDnuxYdKamala Harris Receives The Support Of More Than 100 Silicon Valley Investors And Tech Executives, Including Mark Cuban, Reid HoffmanKamala Harris Receives The Support Of More Than 100 Silicon Valley Investors And Tech Executives, Including Mark Cuban, Reid Hoffman
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Stephen DeBerry shared thisThis is a critical issue that will harm each of us if left unchecked.Stephen DeBerry shared thisFull video essay now on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gt2dEUNc Buzzfeed recently published a now deleted article on what AI thinks Barbies would look like from different countries around the world. The results contained extreme forms of representational bias - including colourist and racist depictions, which is something that AI image generators are often prone to doing. With AI image generators like MidJourney, Stable Diffusion, and Dall-E gaining huge popularity, it’s important that we are vigilant about the forms of bias that these technologies can fuel. #Barbie #AI #Midjourney #bias #artificialintelligence
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Stephen DeBerry shared thisProud to support GoodLeap and its efforts to finance the move to a sustainable energy economy.Stephen DeBerry shared this🔆 Meet GoodLeap Advisory Council Member: Stephen DeBerry, Founder and Managing Partner of Bronze Investments. DeBerry is a 20+ year Silicon Valley veteran who earned his stripes as an #entrepreneur and investing in over 80 companies. He runs the Bronze Venture Fund, where he makes and manages innovative #investments that align strong financial returns with positive social impact. In 2013 he was a member of Expedition Denali, the first African-American mountaineering team to ascend Denali, the highest mountain in North America. The film An American Ascent chronicles that expedition and the effort to bring more diversity to the outdoor community while driving awareness of climate change throughout our society. 🔆 Advisory Council members bring deep experience in business, advocacy, and sustainable technology to help GoodLeap continue its exponential growth. #OneGoodLeap (Source: bronze.vc)
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Stephen DeBerry shared thisCongratulations Tenni and Spring Free! Love to see BRONZE companies jamming.Stephen DeBerry shared thisBig news! Our Chief Product Officer and co-founder, Tenni Theurer has been recognized as one of @Inc’s #FemaleFounders 100, a list of the most tenacious role models in entrepreneurship. https://lnkd.in/d_2CzDy2026 Female Founders 500: The Trailblazers, Fundraisers, and Brand Builders Beating the Odds2026 Female Founders 500: The Trailblazers, Fundraisers, and Brand Builders Beating the Odds
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Stephen DeBerry shared thisStephen DeBerry shared thisWe met Iman Abuzeid right as she was getting started with Incredible Health. She is brilliant, fiercely determined, inspiring and just one of the most impressive founders I have ever met. This is one of those companies that is unequivocally making the world a better place and we couldn't be happier supporting Iman and her team on their journey! https://lnkd.in/gX9MNt49Dr. Iman Abuzeid Leads Incredible Health To Unicorn Status With $80 Million Series BDr. Iman Abuzeid Leads Incredible Health To Unicorn Status With $80 Million Series B
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Stephen DeBerry shared thisProud that Bronze was able to back Scarlett and the Sugarbreak team as they combat diabetes and improve health for everyone.Stephen DeBerry shared thisMonica Haider I loved chatting with you about Sugarbreak. We are very fortunate to have such amazing investors. Thank you to Nisha Dua Susan Lyne Mark Philip-Sorensen Mark Preston Stephen DeBerry for believing in our vision and joining in our journey to tackle this pandemic. This is just the beginning! Adam Lowry Luke Raymond Kyle Heller https://lnkd.in/dXN5uGs
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Stephen DeBerry shared thisSo proud of this young lady. She is a formidable health equity warrior!Stephen DeBerry shared thisThank you Lisa Simpson, Margo Edmunds, PhD, FAMIA, and the entire staff AcademyHealth for the opportunity to speak at this year’s Annual Research Meeting on “Options for Building a Successful Health Services Research (#HSR) Career.” As I reflected on what I was going to talk about, the first thought that came to mind was how my own HSR career trajectory was far from linear, and more like the image below, marked by unpaved roads, bumps, and sometimes, even ditches. The second thought that came quickly thereafter were the countless mentors who have walked alongside me on this heroine’s journey over the past two decades and counting. I think about people like John Matsui and the many others at the Biology Scholars Program who’ve taught me how I could transform my frustrations with health and social inequalities that keep me up at night into a career in healthcare/public health. I think about mentors like Nancy Oriol, Marcyliena Morgan, Dr Freada Kapor Klein, and Stephen DeBerry, who reminded me after my father’s passing that even if I had invested a lot of time and effort into what I thought was my “calling”, that is, to become a child psychiatrist, I could start over as my TRUE purpose and calling in life is greater than any title and position I’ll ever hold. I think about David Henderson and Christina Borba who reassured me that there are many ways to serve and build a career in advancing health equity. I think about Tamar Mendelson, Joseph Gallo, Debra Furr-Holden, Renee M. Johnson Johnson, who provided the rich soil for me to grow and thrive as a public health researcher, and hopefully, move the needle on health disparities through applied HSR. I think about people like Von Nguyen who are the movers and shakers of this world, yet still make time for “mentoring moments” and are willing to share their knowledge, even networks, with others such as myself. I think about mentors like Connie Hwang who creates the safe space for me to talk through life’s victories and challenges, great and small, and introduce me to people like Scott David, PCC so I can take my servant leadership to the next level. And third, but certainly not least, I think about my mentors like Edison Machado Jr., MD,MBA, Jesse C. James, Calvin Williams, and Sunny Ramchandani, who have reminded me the importance of authenticity, self-care, and paying it forward to my own mentees, students, and communities, so that even if I’m the first to accomplish certain accolades or sit at certain tables, I certainly won’t be the last. To all my mentors, including those I may have inadvertently forgotten to mention, I thank you for your guidance and support in building a successful HSR career. #ARM21 #leadership #mentorshipmatters
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Stephen DeBerry shared thisI’m down woth this. Thanks Michael H. LevineStephen DeBerry shared thisThis is not the country we want our kids to grow up in. Time for every media and tech company with a megaphone to call out bigotry and hate wherever it rears its ugly head! #roots #earlychildhoodlearning #antiracism #nickelodeon #noggin https://lnkd.in/eNQqMcB
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Stephen DeBerry liked thisStephen DeBerry liked thisAs “Positive Sum: How Zero-Sum Thinking Broke Capitalism – and How We Can Fix It” hits bookshelves throughout the country today, I’m humbled by the incredible outpouring of support that has already been shown for it. Thank you to everyone who placed pre-orders, read my articles and newsletters on this topic, and recommended the book to family or friends. If you haven’t had a chance to order and still want to, you can do so here: https://lnkd.in/euJdGyv8. All proceeds go to the Ford Foundation. #PositiveSum #BookLaunch
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Stephen DeBerry liked thisStephen DeBerry liked thisA new flag on our map is never just a flag to me. It's a family choosing the brave step to build a future somewhere new. Today, I'm proud to welcome Tajikistan as EB5 Capital's 79th investor country. When I founded the company, I held onto a simple truth: opportunity should depend on effort and intention, not origin. Behind this milestone are people betting on themselves and their families, and a team that has embraced my commitment to bridge the dream to the reality for each family. Each family is a story of origin to opportunity that we have been trusted to share. To our newest investors in Tajikistan: the ambition you carry is exactly what the American dream was built to hold and grow. We're honored to walk that path with you. #EB5 #EB5Capital #EB5Journey
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Stephen DeBerry liked thisStephen DeBerry liked this“I’m going to give one to my ultra-conservative father and another to my super-liberal sister so they can have something to talk about and agree on”: my favorite quote from a fun Investing in America book event yesterday in New York. Thanks Stacey Faella of Woodcock Foundation and Don Chen and the team at Surdna Foundation for hosting. We had some “I’m not going to lie; I’m staying home to watch the Workd Cup” attrition (you know who you are) but I definitely felt the community building vibes with old friends and new contacts that makes this all worthwhile. Please get in touch if bringing together people in your community to hear and talk about Investing in America could be helpful. Kindle/Nook version now available and preorders ship next week when we’ll also have the official launch event with Roy Swan.
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Stephen DeBerry liked thisStephen DeBerry liked thisA couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of joining two people I deeply admire at the Outside Summit in Denver, Colorado. The panel, "Connection is the Catalyst: Building Community Across Culture and Place," brought together Alyssa Ravasio, founder and CEO of Hipcamp, and Chef Eduardo Garcia. We were guided by Sam Moulton, VP of Creative Solutions and Strategy at Outside, and what stayed with me was how much overlap we found across three very different kinds of outdoor work. Eduardo spoke poetically about food as a living thread between human beings and care for one another and the natural world. He talked about the full arc of cooking as a catalyst for self-discovery and facilitating a connection and relationship with the land. Alyssa shared that Hipcamp's community includes hosts and guests who might never otherwise meet. Rural landowners and urban campers, different generations, different points of view. And still, they find each other through a shared love of the land. That’s something worth sitting with. I talked about what we do at Outdoor Afro: celebrating and inspiring Black connections and leadership in nature. Our work is about homecoming — returning to something that was always ours, and about what getting outside actually does for us, body and mind. Even a local pool, a neighborhood trail, or a quiet patch of green can help us slow down, breathe differently, and return to ourselves. Time with nature restores us and grounds us in something larger than our daily routines. What I left Denver carrying was this: the people doing the most meaningful work in the outdoors are thinking about the same things. How do we help people sustain a meaningful connection with one another and the natural world? How do we build the kinds of relationships, with each other and with the land, that make us want to protect it, and one another? When we meet the land with joy and care, connection follows. Connection follows love. It always has. I am grateful to Alyssa, Eduardo, and Sam for a conversation that deepened my appreciation for the many paths that lead people back to nature. And thank you to Outside for making room for a conversation with depth, generosity, and care. #GetOutside #OutdoorAfro #OutsideDays #OutsideSummit
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Stephen DeBerry liked thisWe're excited to finalize the 2026 RAISE Global GP selections next week! For those who will be joining the Summit, you can also sign up for a 2nd GP Day of Masterclasses, designed to help accelerate your fundraising, brand-building and firm-building. GP Day was an experimental format last year that brought great reviews. I learned a lot and had a great time networking with an amazing cohort of GPs. This year should be even better as we join forces with National Venture Capital Association and Venture Forward to co-produce. Benjamin Black Scott Dubin Rira Raisi Bobby Franklin Maryam Haque Paige Hendrix Buckner Julie WroblewskiStephen DeBerry liked thisRAISE GP Day — operator-grade programming on fundraising, firm-building, and how LPs evaluate emerging VC managers. Co-produced with NVCA and Venture Forward. https://hubs.la/Q04fbVls0
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Stephen DeBerry liked thisStephen DeBerry liked thisThis week, I held an event that I'd been thinking about for nearly a year. The idea was simple: bring together constituents—Democrats, Republicans, independents, and libertarians—to have a thoughtful conversation about some of America's most important founding documents and the questions they continue to raise for our democracy today. I didn't know how the evening would go. It was, in many ways, an experiment. What happened warmed my heart and gives me hope for our country's future. More than 80 constituents from across the political spectrum joined us for "We the People: A Moderated Discussion." Together, we explored the Declaration of Independence, President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, and Federalist No. to debate, listen, ask questions, and reflect on what these enduring texts ask of us as citizens today. After an introduction from constitutional scholar Dr. John Simpkins, we divided into small groups to discuss two enduring questions: What stands in the way of your pursuit of happiness—understood as the opportunity to flourish, find fulfillment, and build the life you hope to lead, as Thomas Jefferson envisioned—and Why is it necessary for the United States to now experience the "new birth of freedom" Abraham Lincoln called for? I’m grateful to have offered a forum where my constituents genuinely enjoyed and appreciated the opportunity to engage in civic discourse. I'm deeply grateful to Dr. Simpkins, and to our outstanding moderators Judge LaDoris Cordell, San Mateo County Supervisors Ray Mueller and Lisa Gauthier for guiding thoughtful conversations in our small groups. The most meaningful takeaway wasn't that everyone agreed. They didn't. It was that people with very different perspectives came together in good faith, listened to one another, challenged one another respectfully, and discovered that civil dialogue is still possible. At a time when our politics often pull us apart, this was a reminder that disagreement is not a weakness of democracy. it's one of its defining strengths. Our responsibility isn't to eliminate our differences, but to engage one another with humility, curiosity, and a shared commitment to the common good. As our national motto reminds us, E Pluribus Unum—out of many, one. Thank you to everyone who took a chance on this experiment and helped make it such a thoughtful and inspiring evening. I hope it's the first of many conversations that bring our community together. #CivicEngagement #Democracy #CivilDiscourse #Leadership #Community #EPluribusUnum
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Stephen DeBerry liked thisStephen DeBerry liked thisFounding the The Global Impact Investing Network in 2009 and leading the organization has been the privilege of my professional life, and it’s bittersweet to share that I will be stepping down from this role at the end of the year. My time at the GIIN has completely changed my outlook on work. I've had the opportunity to build something truly meaningful alongside such thoughtful, brilliant, genuine people who believe that there's a better way to meet the needs of society and the environment. What started as a small group with strong conviction has grown into a global community of investors, entrepreneurs and institutions that are reshaping how the world solves problems. None of that was built alone, and I'm grateful to all the current and former colleagues and partners who built it with me. I have lots more to say on that, and there will be plenty of time for reflections and reminiscing when the time comes. And so, from now until the end of the year, I’ll be actively engaged to support a smooth and thoughtful transition to the new CEO. The GIIN is a special place, and it's incredibly important to me to find someone who cares deeply for the GIIN's mission, who will be a natural fit on the team, and committed advocate for this community. I hope you’ll all help us out in spreading the word and supporting the search once the position is posted. As for what’s next for me after the GIIN, I’m not sure yet. I’m going to take a break, spend time with my family, and go from there. My focus is and will remain on ambitious ways to improve the wellbeing of people and the planet, and I’ll be seeking advice on the best way for me to contribute. Thank you for the trust, the partnership and the shared belief in what's possible. There's still real work to do together in the months ahead, and I intend to make the most of them.
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Stephen DeBerry liked thisStephen DeBerry liked thisA real luxury purchase should hold value, either financially or personally. Ideally both.
Experience & Education
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Kapor Capital
View Stephen’s full experience
See their title, tenure and more.
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Volunteer Experience
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Board
Dalai Lama Foundation
- 7 years
DLF's mission is to support the development of our shared global capacity for ethics and peace, based on a non-dogmatic ethic of compassion.
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National Board of Directors, Chair Investment Committee
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
- 6 years 3 months
Health
For nearly 100 years, Planned Parenthood has promoted a commonsense approach to women’s health and well-being, based on respect for each individual’s right to make informed, independent decisions about health, sex, and family planning. Its 73 unique, locally governed affiliates nationwide operate more than 750 health centers that provide a wide range of safe, reliable health care — with more than 90 percent being preventive, primary care.
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Chairman
Friends of New Orleans
- 9 years
Disaster and Humanitarian Relief
FONO's mission is to advocate for New Orleans and its surrounding parishes, inform people of those key issues that are shaping the national debate and decision making of the rebuilding effort, link individuals who want to help with the communities in the devastated areas and motivate people to take part in the rebuilding effort.
Honors & Awards
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Ebony Power 100
Ebony Magazine
The annual Power 100 is a broad-range list of politicians and athletes, entertainers and CEOs, authors and digerati; the primary influencers and game changers who have made the most vital accomplishments during the past year. See the complete list here: http://brnz.co/ebony100
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Root 100
The Root/Washington Post
Each year we put together a list of 100 people who we believe represent the ideals of The Root. These individuals are impactful, creative, iconoclastic, innovative, committed to community and, in many instances, defiant of any restrictive definitions of what it means to be black in America. The point of The Root 100 is to celebrate the depth and reach and daring of black America.
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Crown Fellowship
The Aspen Institute
The Henry Crown Fellowship Program, established in 1997, seeks to develop the next generation of community-spirited leaders, providing them with the tools necessary to meet the challenges of business and civic leadership in the 21st century. - See more at: http://www.aspeninstitute.org/leadership-programs/henry-crown-fellowship-program#sthash.7upxSImg.dpuf
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Marshall Scholarship
Government of Great Britain
As future leaders, with a lasting understanding of British society, Marshall Scholars strengthen the enduring relationship between the British and American peoples, their governments and their institutions. Marshall Scholars are talented, independent and wide-ranging, and their time as Scholars enhances their intellectual and personal growth. Their direct engagement with Britain through its best academic programmes contributes to their ultimate personal success.
Languages
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Spanish
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Sera Tajima
A new fund focused on preventing extinction? Music to my ears. 🇺🇸 Superorganism closes $25.9M Fund I for biodiversity startups This San Francisco VC closed its first fund from Cisco Foundation, AMB Holdings, Builders Vision, a16z partner Jeff Jordan, and others. Managing Directors Tom Quigley & Kevin Webb are backing startups working on extinction prevention and conservation technology —a thesis that's been underinvested despite the urgency. The firm writes checks of $250k - $500k for pre-seed and seed companies and donate, with portfolio including Spoor (computer vision for bird tracking around wind farms) + They commit 10% of profits to future conservationist efforts. Biodiversity isn't just environmental—it's infrastructure for planetary resilience. Learn about the moves shaping deep tech in this week's Conscious Tech intel linked below. Congrats to the team! 👏 _____ Hi, I'm Sera Tajima, angel investing alongside EQT Foundation & Hoxton Ventures. 🤙
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