Jennifer Hopp is an experienced entrepreneur and investor who has spent over 25 years building companies and backing founders at the earliest stages. As the Founder and Managing Partner of ATO Ventures, she leads with the belief that bold ideas deserve a fighting chance—especially in places where access to capital has traditionally been limited.

A lifelong entrepreneur, Jennifer launched her first “startup”—a homemade scratch-card game—at age eight. She became a tax-paying citizen at 10, delivering newspapers and managing her own expenses. At 19, she made strategic bets in the stock market to help pay her way through the University of Oxford and UC Berkeley, and by 23, she was already a Limited Partner in a venture capital fund.

Jennifer has held nearly every seat at the table in the startup ecosystem—as an entrepreneur, advisor, angel, mentor, Venture Partner, General Partner and Limited Partner. Her own software company, WeMakeItSafer, was backed by Sequoia scouts and acquired in 2016. She’s also served as interim CEO for two other venture-backed startups and has had more than a dozen successful exits as an investor.

In 2016, Jennifer began mentoring entrepreneurs in Puerto Rico through the Parallel18 incubator program. Captivated by the island’s culture, resilience, and untapped potential, she soon made Puerto Rico her permanent home. ATO Ventures was born from that deep connection—its mission is to help startups succeed Against The Odds through rigorous market validation, hands-on support, and early capital.

Jennifer also created Valid Startup, an interactive, step-by-step platform that helps aspiring founders turn ideas into real, revenue-generating businesses. The program is now used by entrepreneurs, incubators, and educators around the world.

In 2024, she launched ATO PRIME—a revenue-based fund focused on helping small businesses grow in emerging markets, starting with Puerto Rico.

Jennifer holds degrees in Japanese and Economics from UC Berkeley and Oxford, and an MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, where she earned certificates in both Entrepreneurship and Management of Technology.

Deeply rooted in purpose and guided by faith, Jennifer is proud to live in Puerto Rico and walk alongside the entrepreneurs and communities she serves. To learn more, you can follow her personal journey on Instagram @Hopp.vc