First Close Partners
Ed Zimmerman is a seasoned venture capital professional and co-founder of several impactful initiatives, including First Close Partners, which focuses on supporting underrepresented managers in venture capital. As a co-founder of The Historic Fund, Ed supports Historically Black Colleges & Universities by donating LP interests in VC funds. Ed serves on the boards of Fisk University and Black Women Talk Tech, promoting equity in technology entrepreneurship. Additionally, Ed is the interim chair of the Center for Policing Equity and has a long-standing role at Lowenstein Sandler LLP as co-founder and chair of the Emerging Companies & Venture Capital practice. With a robust writing portfolio for Forbes and The Wall Street Journal, Ed also founded and chairs VentureCrush, fostering the growth of early-stage tech entrepreneurs in New York City. Ed Zimmerman earned a JD from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and a BA in Sociology and Anthropology from Haverford College.
First Close Partners
First Close Partners backs venture funds owned by underrepresented managers (“URMs”) -- especially to help them get to a “first close.” The company invests in venture capital firms owned and operated by URMs who are people of color, women, LGBTQIA+, Indigenous people, people with disabilities, and members of other groups that have been historicallyunderrepresented, especially (but not solely) in the venture capital industry. The venture capital funds into which they have invested are predominantly located in the US, Europe, and Africa.