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Partner

Carmen Palafox

Smart Money RatingBased on the data VC Catalog holds.

Smart Money Rating: 94 out of 100

Founder & General Partner, 2045 Ventures (+1 more)

Firm
2045 Ventures, How Women Invest
Title
Founder & General Partner
Role
General partner
Known as
Investor
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Record updated 17 September 2026

About

Carmen Palafox brings over two decades of finance expertise to her role as Founder and Managing Partner at 2045 Ventures, where she leads investments in early-stage technology startups. Her strategic investment approach and deep industry expertise have earned her numerous accolades, including recognition as a Rising Star in VC by the NVCA, 11 investors to watch in the VC industry by Venture Forward, and a feature as one of LA’s Powerful Women by LA Magazine. Carmen previously served as Vice President at Dimensional Fund Advisors, scaling their global investment operations. She now shares her expertise as an Adjunct Professor at USC Marshall, teaching venture capital. Carmen holds an MBA from Berkeley-Haas, an MA in sports management from USF, and a BA in economics from USC.

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Background

Education
Carmen holds an MBA from Berkeley-Haas, an MA in sports management from USF, and a BA in economics from USC.Source (opens in a new tab)

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