Jewel Burks Solomon Sold Her Startup to Amazon. Then Raised $125M to Invest in Everyone Else.
In this inspiring episode, Jewel Burks Solomon shares her remarkable journey from founding PartPic, an AI company, to creating million-dollar funds that empower entrepreneurs who create shared prosperity in communities. Discover how her unwavering commitment to shared prosperity and benevolence guides her influential work in tech and venture capital.
Key Topics
- Jewel’s early career at Google and her innovative internship, including her role in implementing Google across Howard University.
- The genesis of PartPic: identifying a technology gap in industrial parts procurement and building a company from idea to exit.
- Lessons from selling PartPic to Amazon and the insights gained from scaling a tech startup.
- Founding Collab Capital: investing intentionally in economic mobility, healthcare, and community infrastructure.
- The philosophy of shared prosperity and its importance in modern investing.
- Navigating fund structures, transparency, and experimentation in venture capital.
- The significance of mentorship, building authentic relationships, and maintaining networks over time.
- Supporting family businesses and building community through entrepreneurship.
- Practical advice for founders on exits, fundraising, and staying in control of their journeys.
Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction to Principles of Benevolence and Jewel’s purpose-driven work
02:23 - Jewel’s background: from Howard to Google, and modeling in fashion shows
04:10 - Early influences: family, faith, and humble beginnings in the South
05:35 - Transition from Google to McMaster-Carr: solving problems with technology
07:11 - Idea behind PartPic: leveraging computer vision for industrial parts
08:42 - Customer discovery and testing the product during her time at McMaster-Carr
10:22 - Exiting to Amazon in 2016: lessons from building and selling a tech company
11:37 - Inside Amazon: integrating PartPic into their platform and reflect on the experience
12:48 - The勇y of entrepreneurship at a young age and overcoming industry barriers
14:00 - Balancing multiple jobs: staying at Google while building PartPic
15:43 - The importance of relationships, mentorship, and community support in her journey
16:19 - How family and support systems fueled her entrepreneurial pursuits
18:23 - Advice on maintaining long-term relationships and the power of being a connector
19:20 - About mentorship: enabling future leaders and staying connected to mentors from early days
24:49 - Formalizing her investing: launching Collab Capital and lessons learned
28:02 - Launching Google for Startups Black and Latino Founders Funds alongside Collab
29:04 - Collab’s investment thesis: shared prosperity in tech, healthcare, and community infrastructure
31:31 - The problem with individual wealth obsession versus collective economic mobility
32:36 - Unique VC fund structures and transparency in investments
35:04 - How the fundraising landscape has evolved since 2012 and opportunities for founders
38:53 - Launching the Joyful Exit newsletter: empowering founders with exit strategies and control
41:15 - Preparing for company wind downs: conversations around how to exit with dignity
42:23 - Supporting family businesses and community entrepreneurship as a legacy-building strategy
44:56 - Jewel’s dream: building generational wealth and empowering marginalized communities
46:42 - Final reflections: humility, benevolence, and being a role model
47:49 - Closing remarks and gratitude for sharing this impactful journey
Resources & Links
- Collab Capital
- Principles of Benevolence Podcast
- Google for Startups & Black Founders Fund
- Jewel Burks Solomon - LinkedIn
- PartPic Exits & Amazon Acquisition
- The Joyful Exit | Jewel Burks Solomon Substack
Connect with Jewel
This episode celebrates purpose-driven entrepreneurship and shared prosperity. Tune in to learn how innovative leadership can uplift entire communities while building impactful businesses.
