Kleida Martiro is a partner at Glasswing Ventures, an early-stage AI originalist venture capital fund investing in founders reimagining the future of the enterprise and security industries. Kleida grew up in Albania, in a time when the country was in its economic and political transition into a democratic state following the fall of the communist regime in 1991. At 13 years old, bright-eyed and ambitious, Kleida made the bittersweet decision to leave her home--parents and little brother included--in pursuit of educational opportunities in the United States. She landed in Seattle. She hardly knew English, but she was a skilled polyglot, quickly adding the language to her repertoire. Kleida learned fast and studied hard, pushing away the feelings of homesickness that inevitably arose. She had an affinity for the hard sciences--specifically math, physics, and chemistry. That ultimately brought her to Mount Holyoke for college, where she graduated with a B.S. degree in Economics, Mathematics, and Spanish. After college, her first job was on the analytics team at Digitas, a digital advertising agency. Ever curious, she picked up the coding languages Python and SQL on the side. That skill set would come in handy for Kleida’s next evolution as Head of Data Science at SocialFlow, a startup focused on optimizing content delivery for media companies. She stayed at SocialFlow for two years before heading off to obtain her MBA at the Kellogg School at Northwestern University. At Kellogg, Kleida immersed herself in all things startup and VC-related. Back then, it was the early innings of the AI hype cycle, and Kleida was contemplating two paths post-graduation, joining either an AI company or an early-stage VC firm. She landed the best of both worlds. Glasswing Ventures, a seed-fund focused on AI and security investments, offered Kleida an associate role. Kleida happily accepted. Today Kleida is now a partner at Glasswing, investing in the next generation of cutting-edge technologies shaping the future of enterprise and cybersecurity.
Sam: Looking back at your career, what lessons would you take away that you would share with the next generation of VCs?
Kleida: Raise your hand more. Be proactive. Throughout my career, I've found that putting myself in ambiguous situations - where I didn’t have all the answers - has led to incredible growth opportunities. It was challenging, yes, but the lessons I learned and the skills I gained made it all worthwhile. And that toolkit is transferable to a multitude of situations. I often took on new challenges without knowing exactly how to tackle them, and I problem-solved my way through, treating each obstacle like a puzzle to be figured out. Or, if I lacked a connection in a particular area, I made it my mission to establish one. The VC world thrives on relationships. My advice is to embrace ambiguity, to learn how to navigate it, and always to raise your hand. That’s what worked for me.
Sam: What's your favorite part about the job?
Kleida: Without a doubt, it’s the people - meeting visionary founders, fellow VCs, and aspiring entrepreneurs. As an AI investor, being at the cutting edge of technological breakthroughs and witnessing how founders are transforming entire industries is both inspiring and exhilarating. I’m driven by paradigm shifts in technology, bold ideas, and the relentless drive to solve complex problems. Every pitch brings fresh perspective, challenging me to stay sharp, ahead of the curve, and think beyond the obvious.There’s nothing more professionally rewarding than becoming an extension of founding teams who are building groundbreaking technologies and solutions that drive real, positive change in the world.
Sam: What’s the hard part of being a venture capitalist for you?
Kleida: The work never stops. And honestly, that’s partially self-inflicted because I love what I do. Finding a way not to work during vacations or holidays can be tough. I’ve closed deals over Christmas or Thanksgiving - it takes away from family time. I am still learning how to balance work and personal life.
Sam: What do you think are the skills necessary to be a really good venture capitalist?
Kleida: Curiosity and hustle are crucial, especially as a seed AI investor, which is Glasswing's specialty. You must be self-motivated, relentless in figuring things out and constantly learning, especially given the rapid evolution of industries and technologies, and the steep learning curve that comes with it.
Equally important are strong people skills and the ability to cultivate and nurture relationships. Venture capital thrives on connections, making a strong network indispensable. Actively meeting new people and offering genuine support are essential for building meaningful relationships. Putting yourself out there and networking with intention is key to establishing a solid foundation as a VC.
Sam: What are some of the big things that an emerging VC should not do?
Kleida: Skipping due diligence. Every startup has risks - it’s inherent, but identifying and understanding those risks upfront, assessing their impact, and figuring out which ones can be mitigated and how is essential. Don’t skip the diligence process. Know what you’re getting into, where you can add value, and what potential pitfalls exist. Risks can be manageable as long as you know how to address them.
Sam: What were you like as a kid?
Kleida: I loved puzzles and Legos. I was always curious and patient - often taking apart my younger brother’s trucks and toys just to see how all the little pieces fit together, then trying to put them back again (though not always successfully).
Growing up in Albania, opportunities were limited, but family was everything. I’ve always been close to my parents and especially close with my brother. We did everything together and still have a great relationship. Soccer was a huge part of my childhood, it’s practically a rite of passage in that part of the world. Despite the country's transition from a strict communist regime to a democratic system in the early '90s, I was always surrounded by love and feel truly privileged to have grown up that way.
Sam: How would your friends and family outside of tech describe you?
Kleida: Funny you should ask. I actually asked a friend that very question recently! She’s not in tech or VC, but I was curious how she sees me. She described me as loyal, smart, and kind, which feels a bit strange to say about myself, but that’s how she put it. Personally, I’d say loyalty and trustworthiness are incredibly important to me, whether it’s with friends, family, personal, or professional relationships. In VC, your word is often your most valuable asset, so I truly value those traits.
Sam: Where do you see yourself in ten or twenty years?
Kleida: I love what I’m doing right now, so I see myself still in VC, investing in enterprise AI and the next wave of frontier tech brings. This is a lifetime career in which you can continually grow so for me, it never gets old.
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