ABOUT
April Underwood is an American entrepreneur and venture capitalist, renowned for her significant contributions to the technology industry. She co-founded Nearby, a platform designed to connect consumers with local businesses through hyperlocal marketplaces. Beyond Nearby, Underwood co-founded Adverb Ventures in 2023, a $75 million venture capital firm dedicated to backing early-stage technology startups. She is also a founding partner of #ANGELS, an angel investing collective focused on supporting technology startups. Her extensive career includes executive roles such as Chief Product Officer at Slack and Director of Product at Twitter. Additionally, Underwood serves as an Advisory Council Member at The University of Texas at Austin. Her multifaceted involvement in these ventures underscores her commitment to fostering innovation and supporting the growth of emerging companies in the tech industry.
BEFORE RICHES
April Underwood began her career in the technology sector, holding various product and engineering roles at Intel, Deloitte, and Travelocity. In 2007, she joined Google as a Senior Partner Technology Manager, leading content acquisition and monetization strategies. In 2010, she moved to Twitter, where she served as Director of Product, overseeing features such as the "tweet" and "follow" buttons and leading the creation of the Ads API. Her tenure at Twitter also included managing search partnerships with companies like Microsoft, Yahoo, and Google.
HOW SHE MADE 1st MILLION
Leveraging her extensive experience in product management and business development, April Underwood joined Slack in 2015 as Head of Platform, later becoming Vice President of Product and ultimately serving as Chief Product Officer. Her leadership contributed significantly to Slack's growth and success in the collaboration software market. In 2020, she founded Nearby, aiming to support local retailers by providing a platform for consumers to shop locally online. Despite raising $21 million in a Series A funding round in May 2021, Nearby ceased operations later that year as in-person shopping resumed post-pandemic. In 2023, Underwood co-founded Adverb Ventures, further solidifying her influence in the venture capital landscape.