Karla founded Alante Capital in 2016 to create a place for startups, brands, and investors to come together and support solutions to pressing global problems. In 2019 Alante launched an early-stage VC fund to invest in emerging innovation that addressed systemic issues across the fashion industry.

Karla has dedicated her career to using business as a force for positive social and environmental impact. Early on she developed a deep passion for reforming production practices across industries to improve working conditions and protect the environment. Her passion for supply chain reform, deep concern with the state of the apparel industry led her to create Alante Capital in an effort to spur innovations that can have lasting positive impacts on people and the planet.

Karla brings over 12 years of experience in venture capital and impact investing and another 7 years working in economic development in emerging markets. Before Alante, she was Interim Investment Director at VilCap Investments where she led initial investments in early-stage companies in Mexico, Ghana, Kenya, and the US. Prior to this, Karla was Associate Director of The Eleos Foundation, investing in social enterprises in emerging markets. She also worked at Building Markets in Afghanistan, supporting SMEs and strengthening regional supply chains in post-conflict areas, the World Affairs Council, and the United Nations Sustainable Commodity Initiative for the coffee sector. Karla holds a Master’s Degree in Development Economics from the University of Rome in Italy. Karla is on the Boards of Mango Materials, Sway, Fit:Match, and a Council member of the UCSB Master’s Program in Eco-Entrepreneurship at the Bren School.