Growing up in a chaotic home, Irina Meyer’s successful future was nothing less than a dream. As a Russian woman with many diverse skills, Irina had to make her way to becoming a successful investor, advisor, philanthropist, and entrepreneur to create a positive impact that aligns with her values.
She is the founder and managing advisor at Sils Capital, an impact investing platform that sponsors and strengthens early-stage business start-ups with investment, professional advice, and business strategies. She is not just an investor shooting money in the dark but is making a positive change in society. She defines herself as a ‘conscious investor’ and believes in investing with intention, empathy, and compassion to build others up.
Her parents’ irresponsible behavior was a great demotivator. With her mother throwing parties and her father involved in a shady dark economy with an even shadier and dangerous group of pals, life felt inconsistent, but Irina didn’t lose sight of her potential and flourished past all that mayhem. She studied Philosophy/Political Science at a top university in Russia, Moscow State University, before moving to France, continuing her education in French Literature and Language.
When she finally moved to the United States, Irina changed her professional field once again, completing her BS in Computer Science at San Jose State. Irina Meyer has never been afraid of reinventing herself, pushing the limits and thinking wide. Starting in Fintech as an engineer she created a Tech Risk Assessment discipline in Countrywide/Bank of America saving the company dozens of millions of dollars. Demotivated by the subprime banking crisis in 2008 she then moved on to work in interactive entertainment and media.
At Riot Games, her outstanding services included the creation of a Project Management department and PM discipline. She also received the prestigious Emmy Award in 2011 for Outstanding Achievement in Interactive Media.
She became an impact investor, investing in start-ups that reflect her idealism and working toward bringing envisioned change in the world by investing in early-stage innovative start-ups. Irina’s empathy and compassion help her make wise business decisions and work for the betterment of the people around her. Irina entered the world of business with a predefined set of values, which directed the course of her life and helped her earn her name as the voice of women.
However, this wasn’t her final destination. Despite the struggles in life, Irina’s motivation to provide a better life for people has not died out. She is a very talented philanthropist supporting civil rights, inclusion, women in venture, young cinematographers, disaster relief organizations, Ukrainian refugees in Europe, among many others.
Homeboy Industries, CORE, Emmy Foundation, Community Kitchen and Andrew Young Foundations are among Irina’s favorite charities and organizations. Irina commissioned a painting “Many Lives of Andrew Young” from a renown california artist Amy Lynn Stevenson, and it is currently a centerpiece of Andrew Young Foundation office.
She works to empower businesses, especially those set up by minority and disadvantaged women, and worked with the Russian Speaking Women Engineer group, where she assists in helping minority women build careers. As the Head of Productions at Mama Lion Production, Irina shares stories of brilliant women so people can cherish their lives.
Irina Meyer’s diverse experience in arts, science, and technology has enriched her with unmatched expertise and knowledge, making the incredibly multi-talented person a perfect person to take inspiration from.