Gillian Muessig

Gillian Muessig is an entrepreneur and investor with a career spanning more than three decades in technology, venture capital, and digital marketing. Muessig co-founded SEOMoz, now Moz.com, which became a leading provider of digital marketing software and a central resource for digital marketers. Known in the industry as SEOmom, Muessig has contributed to the international tech startup landscape through her work building, advising, and investing in technology companies. She has delivered keynote addresses and provided guidance to companies in more than 50 countries.

Muessig serves as general partner and managing director of Mastersfund, a global gender-lens venture capital fund based in Seattle. The Sybilla Masters Fund invests in companies with at least one woman on the founding team or in the C-suite. Mastersfund employs an investment model that combines structured equity investments with redeemable warrants, aiming to mitigate investor risk and improve outcomes for both investors and entrepreneurs. The fund is named for Sybilla Masters, recognized as the first inventor in colonial America to receive a patent, though the patent was awarded in her husband’s name due to restrictions on women’s property rights at the time. Muessig is also CEO of Outlines Venture Group, which she co-founded to support entrepreneurs and CEOs of growing companies.

Muessig is recognized for her expertise in private equity, venture capital, and the future of work. She has developed sustainable venture investment models to support a diverse range of tech founders. Muessig has served on numerous boards of directors and advisory boards worldwide, and has advised organizations including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the U.S. State Department, German Marshall Fund, SwissContact, and government programs in Switzerland, Germany, China, Peru, and the Balkans. She is also a mentor at incubators such as Microsoft Azure and TechStars.

Muessig speaks internationally on topics including the future of work, emerging funding models in private equity and venture capital, and strategies to improve equality in entrepreneurship. She hosts the audio podcast "VC Confidential," which explores venture capital investment opportunities for diverse investors and funding options for diverse tech founders. Muessig also hosts "CEOcoach," a podcast for entrepreneurs. As an author and keynote speaker, Muessig is known for identifying trends in technology and supporting the growth of more than 1,000 companies throughout her career.