Jewel Burks Solomon facts for kids

Jewel Melanie Burks Solomon is an American business leader. She helps start and grow new companies, and she also invests in them. She is the first head of Google for Startups in the U.S. This means she leads Google's efforts to support new businesses.

Jewel is also a managing partner at Collab Capital. This is a company that invests money, especially in businesses started by Black entrepreneurs. Before her current roles, she worked at Google from 2014 to 2016. There, she helped Google connect with different types of businesses and people.

Early Life and Family Business

Jewel Burks Solomon grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. Her family had a strong history of owning businesses. Her mother, Valinda Burks, ran an insurance agency for 25 years. Her father, William Burks, owned and managed real estate, small shops called convenience stores, and laundromats.

Her grandfather, Bill McDaniel, also started businesses in Mobile, Alabama, back in the 1960s. Jewel started working in her family's businesses when she was young. This early experience helped her learn a lot about how businesses work.

Education at Howard University

After high school, Jewel went to Howard University. She studied business there and graduated in 2010. Her studies helped her prepare for her future career in the business world.

Starting a Career in Tech

Jewel Burks Solomon began her professional journey at Google in Mountain View, California. She started as an intern in the summer of 2009. An intern is someone who works to gain experience. From 2010 to 2012, she worked full-time at Google. She helped businesses use Google's tools and services.

Creating PartPic

After a few years, Jewel moved back to Atlanta. She took a job as a customer service manager at a company called McMaster-Carr. While working there, she noticed that the company needed better technology. This gave her an idea for a new business.

In 2013, Jewel co-founded a company called PartPic with Jason Crain. PartPic was a startup that used smartphones to help people find parts. You could take a picture of a part with your phone, and the app would use special technology called computer vision to identify it. This made it much easier to find the right replacement parts.

Joining Amazon and Google for Startups

From 2014 to 2016, Jewel worked as an "entrepreneur in residence" at Google. This role allowed her to help Google understand and support new businesses, especially those from diverse backgrounds.

In 2016, a very big company, Amazon, bought PartPic. Jewel left Google to help Amazon add PartPic's technology into their own mobile app. This technology became known as Amazon PartFinder.

In January 2020, Jewel Burks Solomon made history. She became the first head of Google for Startups in the U.S. In this role, she helps new companies grow and succeed with support from Google.

Investing in New Businesses

Jewel is also a managing partner at Collab Capital. This is an investment firm that focuses on supporting Black entrepreneurs. They provide money and help to businesses started by Black individuals, helping them to thrive and make a big impact.

See also

• Women in venture capital