Alexa von Tobel

Alexa founded Inspired Capital because she deeply understood the unique challenges of the founder journey. Before Inspired, she dropped out of Harvard Business School to launch LearnVest, one of the first fintech companies aimed at making a financial planning software accessible to millions. Discouraged by the capital partners available in NYC at the time, Alexa promised herself she would one day become the kind of investor she wished had existed. In 2015, LearnVest was acquired for nearly $400 million, marking one of the decade’s largest fintech acquisitions. Alexa went on to establish herself as an industry authority and New York Times bestselling author, with three books on financial planning. Born in Kentucky and raised in Florida, Alexa attended Harvard College, where she earned an AB in Psychology with Honors. Her career began on Morgan Stanley’s Proprietary Trading Desk, before helping to build Drop.io, an early-stage startup that was later acquired by Facebook. After LearnVest’s acquisition, Alexa became Northwestern Mutual’s first-ever Chief Digital Officer, leading product and technology strategy as the company achieved $30 billion in annual revenue. She later became Chief Innovation Officer, overseeing Northwestern Mutual’s venture arm. Alexa is a 2016 Henry Crown Fellow and an inaugural member of President Obama’s Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship, where she first met her co-founder, Penny Pritzker. Her achievements have earned her numerous accolades, including a Forbes cover, Fortune’s 40 Under 40, Most Powerful Women, Inc. Magazine’s 30 Under 30, and the title of World Economic Forum Young Global Leader. She is also the New York Times bestselling author of Financially Fearless, Financially Forward, and Money Matters. Alexa lives in New York City with her husband, Cliff Ryan, who leads Galvanize Climate Solutions’ venture and growth strategy, one of the world’s leading climate tech funds. Together, they are raising three children.