At LG NOVA and beyond, Hanf’s mission is to create inclusive spaces where startups and communities thrive.
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Show Notes:
In this Mission Matters episode, Adam Torres interviews Alicia Hanf, Head of Partnerships at LG NOVA, live from the Girls Power Network event in Beverly Hills. Alicia shares her journey from military veteran to venture builder, and how she’s helping shape inclusive innovation ecosystems—first through Dear Mama Ventures and now at LG’s North American innovation arm. A conversation filled with insight, access, and impact.
About LG NOVA
LG NOVA is working to discover, accelerate and create innovations that will shape the future for the better.
Working with start-ups, entrepreneurs, business leaders to identify the next big thing. Their experts are ready to pitch in, share domain expertise, provide mentorship and support to help businesses grow, prosper and take ideas to fruition to enable all to benefit from a brighter future.
Watch Full Interview:
Full Unedited Transcript
Hey, I wanna welcome you to another episode of Mission Matters. My name is Adam Torres, and today we are in Beverly Hills, California at a GPN Girls Power Network event. And I’m, I’m, I’m very excited because this is my first GPN event that I’ve covered, and we have a. Ton of great guests, and I was able to get Alicia out of the VIP, uh, by Dr.
Kate, said, come on, come do an interview. Welcome. Thank you so much. I’m so happy to be here. So this is my, as I just said, my, this is my first time coming to a GPN event and doing and covering the event. Have you been involved with this? Have you been to an event before or is this I haven’t, so this is my very first one too.
Oh, I love it. So we’re both, we share that. We share that we’re both newbies. Okay. So what, what’s been your first impression? Well, my first impression for one is everybody is so beautiful. Right? And I feel like enthusiastic, so excited to meet one another. I love the different sponsors and vendors that are here.
Mm-hmm. It just felt from the second I walked in the door, like an exciting and excited room to be a part of. Yeah. I, I have to agree with that. And I was thinking, I’ve been to other events here, no offense to David Rivera, but I’m like, there’s a difference when guys throw an event or someone like GPN throws an event.
I’m like, absolutely. It’s aesthetic. I was like, the red carpet was beautiful. The red carpet, the champagne, the photo ops from the second you walk in, and then we have to mention this gorgeous. Home we’re in. Yes. I mean, the views are just so special. Yes. So talk to, talk to us a little bit more about what brings you out today.
Yeah. So I’m super excited for a few reasons. One, as I mentioned, this is my first GPN event. Yeah. But I’m also receiving an award today. So that’s the real reason that I’m here. Congrats. Thank you. That’s amazing. And talk a little bit maybe about what, what you do. Yeah. So I feel like I’ve been an ecosystem builder in LA for probably the last 10 years.
Mm. And so, at the core of what I do, I create ecosystems for startups and for people to have the ability to pursue their dreams. Mm. So currently I’m the head of partnerships at LG Nova. Mm-hmm. Which is the North American innovation arm of LG Electronics. Yeah. And before that, I founded a venture firm called Dear Mama Ventures.
And our mission, our mission was to help get capital passed through the hands of those. Who are often overlooked or underestimated? Mm. I’m always interested in, uh, there’s different words. We use it. You use the word ecosystem. Yes. Some people use the word community or building community. Um, I’m always interested in somebody that’s had success doing that in the past and is duplicating that, whether if it’s as an entrepreneur or for a large corporation.
Um, what are some tips and, or just some things that you found are helpful in building an ecosystem or a community? Yeah, so I actually have a. A phrase that I use when I, when it comes to building an ecosystem. But before that, I think for one, having a North Star and really being grounded in your why of your mission, of why you want to impact that community.
Mm-hmm. So when I first started off in the, the venture in the startup ecosystem space, I was helping military veterans who were entrepreneurs because, wow. I’m a military veteran. Wow. And I was an entrepreneur and I was looking for that place that felt like home. Where I could come get resources and really find that sense of camaraderie I missed from when I was in the military.
Yeah. So my North Star was to solve a community and to solve a problem that was bigger than me. Mm-hmm. And then what I realized we needed the most was capital. So access to capital. Mm-hmm. Resources, education. So who are those people, leaders, places that we could go to to learn more about what we’re doing?
Mm. Um, just access period. You know, I often say is like. You could have all the money in the world to buy a table at a club, but if you don’t know that bouncer or promoter who to call to get in, it doesn’t matter if you have the money. Speaking of Miami, no. Right. And I feel like you need access. It’s very important.
Yeah. And then mentorship. Who are those people who have done it already so you can see. Okay. Because they can. I can too. And if somebody’s just getting started and building these ecosystems, you’re obviously a pro, you’ve been doing this for a long time. Where do you say they start? Yeah. Like what’s one of the first things you would say if I knew this back then?
Mm-hmm. Mm. Absolutely. I think starting where you can have boots on the ground. Oh, so I’m an Angeleno through and through. I was born and raised here. Mm-hmm. When I came here, it only made sense that I would start building an ecosystem in the community that I was familiar with. Yeah. So I think ecosystem and even if you’re, you’re building an ecosystem and solving problems for somebody else.
Be able to tap into those people who are their boots on the ground. Yeah. Because you’re gonna have a unique understanding of what those communities are like. Fantastic. Alright, I know I gotta let you go because you are getting an award and I, they might even be calling you right now. Oh my gosh. So last thing I want you to, last thing I want you to do is look into the camera and tell people how they can follow you, how they can follow your work, or anything else you’d like to say.
Yes. So, hi everybody. I am on Instagram at Alicia The key. I don’t know if you guys are gonna spell that, but it’s my first name. Yeah, ducky. And then I’m also on LinkedIn, Alicia Hanif. So you can find me there. Fantastic. And for everybody watching, just so you know, we’ll definitely put that in the link in the show notes.
So you can just click on the on the link and head right on over. And speaking of the audience, if this is your first time with Mission Matters and you haven’t done it yet, hit that subscribe or follow button. This is a daily show. Each and every day we’re bringing you new content. New ideas and hopefully new inspiration to help you along the win your journey as well.
So again, hit that subscribe or follow button. And Alicia, thanks so much and, and congrats on the award again. Thank you. I’ll see you out there all.
