AUSTIN, Texas–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Next Coast Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on investing in disruptive ideas and marketplaces, today announced the hire of Venture Partner Zeynep Young.

With experience as the founder and CEO of ed-tech company Double Line Partners, Portfolio Director at the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and an Associate Principal at McKinsey & Company, Ms. Young brings deep strategic experience in entrepreneurship, technology and the social sector. Additionally, she holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Business at Northwestern and a BA from Rice University. She is currently the CEO of milk + honey, a wellness and beauty company with a portfolio of day spas, salons and products in the organic, luxury market.

“I’m thrilled to bring my expertise to a forward-looking firm committed to changing the rules of the VC industry,” said Zeynep Young, venture partner at Next Coast Ventures. “With personal experience as both an entrepreneur and investor within the Austin business community, I am excited to turn my attention towards ‘next coast’ technology markets.”

“Zeynep fits perfectly into our team of former entrepreneurs,” said Mike Smerklo, co-founder and managing director at Next Coast Ventures. “Our primary goal is to be a strategic value-add to our portfolio investments, beyond the capital itself. Zeynep will be a vital component of our management team as we continue to scale the firm.”

About Next Coast Ventures

Next Coast Ventures was born in 2015 with a simple vision to create a different kind of venture capital firm focused on company building, thought leadership and giving back to the community. With a dedication to investing in entrepreneurs building disruptive companies in big markets, Next Coast Ventures is pursuing a new model of VC “built for entrepreneurs by entrepreneurs.” For more information, visit http://www.nextcoastventures.com.