Jewel Burks Solomon facts for kids

Jewel Burks Solomon is an amazing American tech leader. She is an entrepreneur, which means she starts her own businesses. She is also a venture capitalist, meaning she invests money in new companies to help them grow.

Jewel is the first head of Google for Startups in the U.S. This program helps new businesses get started. She also helps lead an investment company called Collab Capital. This company focuses on supporting Black entrepreneurs.

Jewel's Early Life

Jewel Burks Solomon grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. Her family was full of business owners! Her mom, Valinda Burks, ran an insurance agency for 25 years. Her dad, William Burks, owned real estate, convenience stores, and a laundromat.

Even her grandfather, Bill McDaniel, started businesses back in the 1960s. He had companies in Mobile, Alabama. Jewel started working in her family's businesses when she was very young. This gave her a great start in the world of business.

She went to Howard University to study business. Jewel graduated from college in 2010.

Jewel's Career Journey

Jewel Burks Solomon began her career at Google in Mountain View, California. She started as an intern in the summer of 2009. After that, she worked full-time helping businesses use Google's tools from 2010 to 2012.

Starting Her Own Company

Jewel moved back to Atlanta to be with her grandmother. While working at another company, she noticed that technology could make things much better. This idea led her to start her own company!

In 2013, Jewel co-founded a company called PartPic with Jason Crain. PartPic was a cool startup that let people use their smartphones to find parts. You could take a picture of a part, and the app would use computer vision (like a computer seeing) to identify it.

Working with Google and Amazon

From January 2014 to October 2016, Jewel worked as an "entrepreneur in residence" for diversity markets at Google. This meant she helped Google connect with different groups of people.

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

Leading at Google for Startups

In January 2020, Jewel Burks Solomon made history. She became the very first head of Google for Startups in the U.S. In this role, she helps new companies get the support they need to succeed.

Jewel is also a managing partner at Collab Capital. This investment firm focuses on helping Black entrepreneurs grow their businesses. She is dedicated to supporting new ideas and diverse founders.

See also

• Women in venture capital