As the Founding Partner of R3i Holdings and Managing Partner of R3i Capital, she's not just writing checks—she's architecting the future at the intersection of applied AI and humanity's biggest challenges.

While Silicon Valley debated whether climate tech was "investable," Leesa had already built Planet43, a deep-tech investment platform that's turning world-changing innovations into world-class returns. We're talking about companies that don't just promise to change the world – they're doing it, from AI that can predict degenerative diseases to technology that's revolutionizing how cities manage their most significant asset, water.

The numbers tell part of the story: 400+ corporations guided across 19 sectors—$US270 million in capital raised - 320 startups accelerated. Companies scaled to $US14 billion valuations. ESG integration into 210 pension funds, endowments, and asset managers for responsible investment. Experience across 5 VC firms. But here's what those numbers don't tell you – Leesa's built this track record by zigging when everyone else zagged.

While most VCs were chasing quick flips in software, she was diving deep into the messy, complex world of frontier tech. Think smart cities, room temperature quantum computing, cybersecurity, digital therapeutics, embedded computing, context analytics, renewable energy, and the kind of deep tech that makes most investors' eyes glaze over. The result? A portfolio that's not just surviving market turbulence – thriving because of it.

As a Board Director at the AI Asia Pacific Institute, she's not just investing in AI – she's helping shape its ethical future. Her board roles at Viewmind, Stratificare, and Meracle Health aren't just titles; they're front-row seats to transforming healthcare through technology.

Education? Sure, she's got the credentials—a TRIUM Global Executive MBA (NYU Stern, HEC Paris, LSE) and a Master's in Management. More importantly, she's teaching the next generation as an adjunct professor at SMU Cox Business School, showing them what real-world innovation looks like through experiential learning with her founders.

The accolades are in – CIO Magazine's "Five Most Rising Women Leaders to Watch," CIO Times' "10 Transformational Business Leaders," and EliteX's "10 Elite Business Women to Watch." But they're just footnotes to the real story: building a multi-generational venture capital firm and proving you can do well by doing good.

Here's the bottom line: In a world of VCs talking about changing the world, Leesa and her teams are doing it - one deep-tech breakthrough at a time.

Want to know where technology's headed next? Watch where she and her team are investing today. Because if history's any guide, that's where the rest of us will be playing catch-up tomorrow.