Does it even make sense to go to university anymore?

Michael has been investing in startups for nearly a decade, both as a VC and angel investor. Prior to Ada Ventures Michael was a CFO at a fintech startup as it scaled from seed to Series A, working alongside the cofounders across operations, product, and fundraising. A self-taught programmer and Oxford MBA, Michael is energised by technical founders who are obsessed with what technology can bring to the world. He’s also naturally curious: From teaching himself Ruby and Python, to writing four published books, or powering through a 100-day crash course in AI & ML.

Lauretta Asak is a Manager in the Talent team at Monzo, with a focus on hiring, inclusion and community building. She’s also Co-Chair of Black Monzo, supporting and championing the Black and mixed-Black community.

Through partnerships, events and talent programmes, Lauretta brings people and opportunities together, creating spaces to connect and new pathways into opportunity.

She’s passionate about opening doors, sharing what she’s learned and helping people navigate their careers and get into the right rooms.

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