Leadership Spotlight: Austin Chapter Co-lead, Carolyn Houren of S3 Ventures

The EVCA leadership is dedicated to building community across and empowering the next generation of venture capitalists through an array of activities—from hosting events, knowledge sharing, and connecting others. This EVCA Leadership Spotlight Series is intended to help the broader community get to know what's going on behind the scenes at the EVCA, as well as highlight the valuable contributions of those individuals who make the EVCA possible. Accordingly, it's a great privilege for us to announce this EVCA Leadership Spotlight on our very own EVCA Austin Chapter Lead, Carolyn Houren of S3 Ventures.

Carolyn Houren is an investor at S3 Ventures. S3 invests in Seed, Series A, and Series B stages across B2B software, healthcare technology, and digital experiences. Carolyn’s primary focus includes sourcing new investments, working with S3’s portcos (board observer for 7 portcos), and due diligence/research. Prior to S3, Carolyn was Chief of Staff at Cosmic Bliss supporting operations, finance, accounting, and sales. Carolyn was also an investor at a global alternative investment firm, Stafford Capital Partners $8B+ AUM, and an M&A consultant at PwC.

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EVCA: Could you share more about what you do in your role as EVCA's Austin chapter lead?

Carolyn: As a chapter co-lead for Austin, we bring together the Texas venture community via guest speakers at dinners and networking happy hours. We have hosted various successful fireside chat dinners with Austin’s venture legends including Bill Gurley, Tom Ball, and Venu Shamapant. We work to provide Austin’s emerging venture capitalists with advice from key leaders in the local ecosystem and opportunities to build long lasting relationships.

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EVCA: What made you interested in taking a leadership role at EVCA?

Carolyn: I was drawn to a leadership role at EVCA because of the opportunity to build deeper connections and expand my network across the country. The chance to collaborate with diverse professionals and contribute to shaping the organization's direction aligned perfectly with my goals of broadening my professional relationships and making a meaningful impact in the industry. 

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EVCA: What is your most contrarian view on an existing or emerging technology trend?

Carolyn: Digital twins will be ubiquitous in the industrial sector, transforming operations through real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and scenario simulation. Such systems promise significant cost savings, enhanced productivity, and accelerated innovation by allowing virtual testing before real-world implementation. Despite these benefits, digital twins can be complex and costly to implement, and their reliance on sensitive data raises cybersecurity concerns. Nonetheless, as industries demand greater efficiency and accuracy, digital twins are increasingly crucial for meeting these needs.

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Interested in taking on an EVCA leadership role? The EVCA leadership is dedicated to empowering the next generation of VCs through an array of activities—running 40+ channels on from hosting events, knowledge sharing, and connecting others. If interested in pursuing an EVCA leadership role, click here.