The rest of the 100 (in alphabetical order): Nancy Saucier, director of new venture development at University of Massachusetts (UMass) Lowell, River Hawk New Venture Fund

Nancy Saucier has been director of new venture development at University of Massachusetts (UMass) Lowell since 2012. During that time, one of her most significant achievements has been to launch and run the $500,000 River Hawk New Venture Fund – a seed fund set up in 2014 to make angel-style investments in technology startups linked to UMass Lowell.

The fund works in parallel with the institution’s New Venture Initiative and the Innovation Hub set up in 2015.

Saucier has almost two decades of experience working with high-growth companies in the technology sector. She is a mentor for two UMass Lowell teams via the National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps program and has previously held senior roles with New England Venture Capital Association and the National Venture Capital Association.

River Hawk portfolio companies include data-visualisation specialist Weave and Cyta Therapeutics, a nanotechnology developer which is developing a polymer-based nanogel for administration of targeted therapeutics.