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Jill Kravetz will succeed Matthew M. Segneri ’04 as executive director of the Harvard Innovation Labs, a University-wide center that provides funding, workspace, and mentorship to entrepreneurs, Harvard announced Thursday.

“I am thrilled to be here,” Kravetz said in a Friday interview. “I am coming in to fill really big shoes.”

Kravetz, an i-Lab mentor for ten years, has founded several companies and currently serves as the CEO of JRK advisors, a consulting firm that assists small businesses with entrepreneurship and growth.

“I love that first 12 to 18 months of a company,” Kravetz said. “I love being in the throes of growing, creating something totally different, putting it out there, getting reactions, positive, negative, falling off the bike, getting back on the bike, skinning your knees.”

She has also worked as the CEO of iRelaunch, Inc. — a global career-rentry consultancy — and chief operating officer of BB Endeavors LLC, the enterprise of TV personality Bethenny Frankel.

“I have always loved entrepreneurship,” Kravetz said. “My background is very much combined strategy, operations, and entrepreneurship and innovation, and I’m most excited to have to help the i-Lab and help Harvard have an outsized impact through the ventures that we’re helping here.”

Kravetz said she had been interested in the director position for years, but found that it was never the right time — until she saw this winter that the position was open.

“When it was posted in December, I literally turned to my husband and I said, ‘I think I have to do it,’ because I’ve been looking at this for so many years,” Kravetz said.

“I know the huge value that the i-Lab provides, because I’ve been involved as a mentor,” Kravetz added. “The chance to have a shot at actually helping to drive some of that impact — I couldn’t ignore the thing that came across my LinkedIn saying ‘this could be a great job for you.’”

Kravetz was the first female partner at strategy consulting firm Parthenon Group, before she then joined Cue Ball Capital as a partner, a startup venture capital firm where she invested in emerging consumer and information companies.

Kravetz has also founded two beauty companies, including Gloss48, a beauty-focused e-commerce startup. She earlier served as president of MiniLuxe, a chain of beauty lounges, which she launched as a partner at Cue Ball.

Kravetz said that as a former founder, the i-Lab gives her a unique opportunity to “explore entrepreneurship” in a different environment.

“You don’t have to start a venture here. You can just learn about entrepreneurship and experience it in a really kind of psychologically safe environment,” Kravetz said. “And just to be able to actually take the time to learn what entrepreneurship is, and to get access to these world class resources is so great.”

Now, after her first week as director, the i-Lab has made her feel welcome.

“It’s a wonderful place. I have to say, my first week I feel like I’ve found my people,” Kravetz said. “It’s just such a lovely environment. The team is fantastic.”

With the plethora of entrepreneurship resources on campus, Kravetz said she will face a challenge of making sure the i-Lab can make its own unique impact in the innovation environment.

“The innovation ecosystem is really robust all around campus,” Kravetz said. “One of the challenges I see is just making it really clear to students and faculty and alumni where the best place is to get access to what resources.”

But despite the challenge, Kravetz said she was particularly excited to be joining the i-Lab now, with “so many exciting things on the horizon in terms of innovation.”

“I’m so honored, because things like AI just driving the pace of innovation, the ability to have an impact on things like climate tech, there's just so much opportunity,” Kravetz said. “To be at this point where we can connect all 13 schools and really help drive that impact in the world — I’m just so honored.”

—Staff writer Megan L. Blonigen can be reached at megan.blonigen@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X at @MeganBlonigen.

—Staff writer Caroline G. Hennigan can be reached at caroline.hennigan@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @cghennigan.