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Founder / VC / Author / Lobbyist / Athlete
Jennifer Stojkovic is a General Partner at Joyful Ventures, the founder of Vegan Women Summit (VWS), and author of the award-winning book, The Future of Food is Female.
In 2020, Jennifer founded Vegan Women Summit (VWS), a global media and events platform of over 50,000 women professionals focused on the future of food. VWS produces The Vegan Women Summit flagship conference, VWS Pathfinder, the world’s only pitch competition for women founders in the plant-based and animal-free industry, and VWS Connect, the industry’s food-tech job networking series. Since inception, VWS Pathfinder has reached over 1,200 women founders across 31 countries, while VWS Connect has connected over 2,000 jobseekers with roles at major employers, like Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, and Miyoko’s.
In mid-2021, Jennifer set out to share her inspiring insights and learnings in The Future of Food is Female — the industry’s first book to elevate women working in alternative protein and food technology. Featuring original interviews from industry titans, such as Heather Mills, Miyoko Schinner, and Pinky Cole, Jennifer’s work received early praise from notable founders and CEOs, including Kyle Vogt, Uma Valeti, and Josh Tetrick. The book debuted as a number-one new release in six categories and has garnered numerous awards since publication in April 2022. She hopes this book empowers future generations to reevaluate and change how we collectively approach food.
Now, leveraging her insights and deep connections as an industry leader, Jennifer launched Joyful Ventures in late 2022. In partnership with fellow industry leader Milo Runkle, Founder of The Good Food Institute, Mercy for Animals, and New Crop Capital, and exited tech CEO and investor, Blaine Vess, Founder and CEO of StudyMode, Joyful Ventures is a pre-seed and seed fund dedicated to building the future of sustainable protein. With a geographically-diverse investment focus, Jennifer hopes to put Canada on the map as an alternative protein leader.
Jennifer is also an advisor, and board member of numerous startups. As a strategic leader in the industry, she has led and advised on numerous projects including Hollywood films, presidential fundraisers, and PR campaigns. Most recently, she was an advisor on Richard Branson’s 2021 film, Eating Our Way to Extinction.
Prior to entering the food tech industry, Jennifer built her career under prolific Silicon Valley investor, Ron Conway, Founder of SV Angel. Jennifer has worked closely with the world's largest technology firms, such as Google, Microsoft, and Facebook, and with the CEOs of high-growth startups like WeWork, Cruise, and Postmates.
Jennifer has spoken at notable conferences, like Dreamforce and the World Knowledge Forum, as well as leading educational institutions including Harvard University, Berkeley University, and Duke University. She is a contributor to Rolling Stone and board member or advisor to several nonprofits, including Mercy for Animals, The Better Food Foundation, and Charlie’s Acres.
When not building a better food system, Jennifer is an avid traveller, certified rescue diver, and a plant-based athlete. She recently climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro and aims to dive all seven continents (she’s currently at six). She is an ethical vegan, a tri-citizen of Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom, and a big fan of Led Zeppelin