Lorenzo Thione
Managing Director at Gaingels
Chicago, Illinois
Overview
Work Experience
Managing Director
2019 - Current
Lead investments in AI, deep tech, and consumer technologies while driving initiatives to increase minority representation in venture capital, shaping the future of ethical AI development. Gaingels is a leading investment syndicate dedicated to balancing minority representation in venture and one of the most active private investors in North America. Gaingels has invested over $300 million in more than 500 LGBTQ+ led companies, and $1B+ across over 2400 startups more broadly.
Gaingels provides funding to startup companies and supports diversity and inclusion within the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Keynote Speaker
2022
I have spoken for events and brands including the Central Asia Tech Summit, Tech.Emotion, Iceland Innovation Week, She Angel Investors, and Startup World Cup about various topics, including: • State of the Union: Entrepreneur Funding & Job Creation Without Diversity • The Power of Visibility & Representation in Entrepreneurship • From the Stage to Startups: The Art of Storytelling for Founders • Scaling Opportunities for Diverse Founders • Innovation and Digital Disruption in the Age of AI • What’s Possible: Human Ingenuity and Creativity With AI
Managing Partner
2008
A theatrical and film production company headquartered in New York City, with shows on Broadway, The West End, and touring and sit down productions around the world : Days of Wine and Roses (2024), The Notebook (2024), &Juliet (2022 Tony Nomination), Mrs Doubtfire (2020), The Inheritance (2020 Tony Award - Best Play), Slave Play (2020 Tony Nomination), Hadestown (2019 Tony Award - Best Musical), Allegiance (2015), Catch Me If You Can (2010 Tony Nomination), American Idiot (2009), Slava Snowshow (2008 Tony Nomination) In addition, Sing Out Louise Productions created and produced the Stage To Screen film adaptations of Allegiance (2016), and Bandstand (2017) Current projects include: Showstopper! on Broadway, a new play Relentless, and two new original musicals, Indigo and Midnight at The Palace.
Co-Founder & Chairman Emeritus
2009
The leading non-profit committed to supporting and elevating LGBTQ+ founders in the venture startup ecosystem.
Co-Founder & Chairman of The Board
2013
The Social Edge is a dynamic social media tech startup that helps digital publishers connect their content with targeted and engaged audiences by harnessing the power of social influencers. The Social Edge's proprietary influencer platform, Contempo, helps each influencers develop and grow their audience by uniquely selecting, testing and targeting syndicated content from our publisher network that is relevant to their audience and their shared interests.
The Social Edge is a social media marketing and consulting firm.
Member Board Of Directors
2017 - 2019
Kenzen’s Mission is to harness the power of physiology data to predict and prevent industrial workforce injuries and improve productivity.
Raised $9,050,000.00 from Examinetics and KCRise Fund.
Member Board of Directors
2014 - 2017
Permission.io is transforming digital advertising by enabling brands and consumers to connect on a permission basis.
Raised $13,368,682.00.
Co-Founder, President & Chairman
2012 - 2014
Principal Program Manager, Powerset/Bing
2008 - 2010
Microsoft Advertising provides digital advertising solutions.
Founder & Product Architect
2006 - 2008
I started Powerset with an exciting vision to change online search, based on a better understanding of documents and users' intent. In August 2008 Microsoft acquired Powerset with the vision of bringing its team and technologies together to help Microsoft Live Search become the world's best search engine.
Powerset is a search engine focused on in-depth natural language processing.
Raised $20,500,000.00 from Amidzad Partners, Felicis, Founders Fund, CommerceNet, Foundation Capital and Valley Venture Capital.
Education
MSE
2001 - 2002
BSE Equivalence
1997 - 2001