Meet Haywood Perry.
TGS DC MEMBER SINCE 2021
Meet Haywood Perry.
Haywood L. Perry III is an investor at Mark Cuban Companies and serves as a Co-Chair for TGS Tech Circle.
Seeking to connect people to their purpose by investing in their ideas, Haywood began his career in venture capital as an Investment Partner for First Round Capital’s Dorm Room Fund, focused on sourcing, advising and funding student entrepreneurs. He then helped direct impact investments at Kapor Capital before supporting SoftBank in launching their $100M Opportunity Fund, focused on Black, Latinx, and Native American founders.
Previously, he served as an Innovation Advisor for Yale’s Startup & Nonprofit Accelerators, as a Program Associate at the Aspen Institute, as a White House Intern in the Office of Social Innovation & Civic Participation during the Obama administration, with international stints working in youth and community development in Cape Town & Johannesburg, South Africa and Bangalore & Chennai, India. Haywood has been recognized as an Emerging Black LGBT Leader by the Obama Administration. Haywood earned his Master’s degree from the divinity school at Yale University, his B.A. in Urban Studies from the University of Pennsylvania, and completed a Certificate in Venture Capital from UC Berkeley’s Law School.
GET TO KNOW HAYWOOD.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT TGS?
I know most folks will point to the unrivaled sense of community, which indeed is absolutely second to none, but the real tea on TGS is this: TGS serves the best scrambled eggs I’ve ever had. Anywhere. The complimentary breakfast keeps me coming back for more. Especially in this age of Work From Home, I’ve welcomed the opportunity to start each day off with great food and even better company.
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
I know who I am & whose I am. My generosity & ability to empathize emanate from that sacred place.
What motivates you?
I grew up with a front row seat at my parents’ pet shop in Silver Spring. My mom’s a veterinarian & dad’s a professional dog trainer and they are objectively the best at what they do in their respective fields. I learned from them very early on the mountains & valleys of entrepreneurship, witnessing their highs & lows, and appreciating that God’s plan is far greater than anything we can imagine.
When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was 17 years old, I was elected to the Prince George’s County Board of Education to serve as the Student Board Member, representing 130,000+ students, with oversight over a $1.67B budget. My response when I was asked back then what I wanted to be when I grew up: to be a bridge between institutions with resources to the communities most in need. That vocational calling continues to guide my work today.
You can connect with Haywood on LinkedIn.