Noramay Cadena

Noramay Cadena is a venture capitalist, engineer, and community leader who serves as co-founder and managing partner of Supply Change Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm investing at the intersection of food, culture, and technology. With offices in Los Angeles and Chicago, the firm raised an inaugural $40 million fund and has deployed more than $20 million across over 20 companies working to transform the food system, including allergen-free snack brands, alternative seafood makers, and novel ingredient startups. Cadena holds three degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology: a bachelor's in mechanical engineering, a master's in engineering systems, and an MBA from MIT Sloan.

Before entering venture capital, Cadena spent more than a decade as an engineer and operations leader at The Boeing Company, where she led cross-functional teams on complex aerospace programs, managed multimillion-dollar budgets, and contributed to products including commercial satellites and the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner. Her engineering background informs her approach to operational efficiency and supply chain dynamics, skills she leverages to evaluate and support early-stage founders. Cadena also co-founded MiLA Capital (Make in LA), Los Angeles's first hardware-focused accelerator and venture fund, which invested in more than 20 manufacturing and deep tech companies.

Cadena co-founded the Latinas in STEM Foundation to inspire young Latinas to pursue careers in science and technology and is a founding board member of SomosVC, a nonprofit organization dedicated to growing the Latino ecosystem of funders and founders. She serves as a lead investor in Portfolia's Rising America Fund, which backs Latinx, Black, and LGBTQ founders, and sits on the boards of the Latino Community Foundation and CARE Enterprises, Inc. Cadena was named the fourth chair of PledgeLA, a coalition of venture capital and tech leaders working to make Los Angeles a global tech hub that reflects the region's innovation and talent.

Cadena has been recognized as a Pioneer Woman of the Year by the Los Angeles Commission on the Status of Women, one of ten women of influence in private markets, one of 55 rising-star venture capitalists, one of 50 influential women in robotics, and one of the top 100 influential Latinas in the United States by Latino Leaders Magazine. A Kauffman Fellow and frequent speaker, Cadena has delivered talks at TEDx, the World Summit on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the Grace Hopper Celebration, and the Milken Institute Global Conference, addressing topics including technical leadership, overcoming obstacles, and the future of food technology.