Donna Harris

Donna Harris is CEO of Builders + Backers, a distributed venture studio and investment firm igniting entrepreneurial action and experimentation in communities around the world. Harris is also GP of 1776 Ventures, a venture capital fund with investments on five continents. Previously she was Managing Director of the Startup America Partnership during the Obama Administration. Harris is on the Board of the Global Entrepreneurship Network, the International Advisory Council of APCO Worldwide and the Policy Council of the Economic Innovation Group. She was recognized as one of the top 25 female early-stage investors in the United States in 2021. Named one of Washington DC’s Power 100 by Washington Business Journal, she is widely recognized for her expertise on the intersection of entrepreneurship, investing and economic thriving. Harris holds a bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University, an MBA from The University Michigan, and an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from American University.