Eve Burton co-founder and head of HearstLab, is one of the 100 leading corporate venturing professionals in our 2025 Powerlist.
As a co-founder and head of HearstLab, the corporate venture capital accelerator of US media and business services firm Hearst, Eve Burton is passionate about investing in women-led early-stage companies.
HearstLab was founded in 2016, focusing primarily on B2B enterprise technology, data analytics, media, healthcare, finance and transportation sectors. Burton secured the firm’s first $250,000 investment about a decade ago. Now, the CVC arm has deployed more than $85m and spans a $2.5bn portfolio.
While focused on North American startups, the team behind HearstLab is looking to grow internationally amid appetite from international counterparts to expand outside the US.
The CVC is supported by a solid community of 200 female executives from across Hearst’s global ecosystem, who volunteer to scout for companies and assist the startups with advice post-investment.
While focused on North American startups, the team behind HearstLab is looking to grow internationally amid appetite from international counterparts to expand outside the US. Since 2019, the organisation has actively expanded its investment reach, supporting women-led companies in the UK, the Netherlands, Spain, Japan and Saudi Arabia.
As part of the larger organisation, Burton serves as executive vice president and chief legal officer of Hearst, with the firm’s key areas including cable entertainment, interactive and emerging digital media, local broadcast television, magazines, newspapers and real estate, as well as business information companies that create and deliver content for the global finance, healthcare and transportation industries.
Burton is a first amendment lawyer by background, focused on protecting freedom of the press, with her career leading her to work for the New York Daily News, as well as a chief counsel at CNN. She is also a member of Hearst’s board of directors.
Burton spearheads Hearst’s work in establishing strategic enterprise deals with partners and working on mergers and acquisitions for the company. She is also a member of Hearst’s Venture Committee, which invests in emerging health, transportation and digital companies. The group has grown to become a dynamic corporate venture fund with more than $1bn invested to date.
The Global Corporate Venturing Powerlist represents the 100 individuals spearheading the future of the corporate venturing industry.
These individuals excel in terms of their venturing approach and structure, number and quality of portfolio companies and in their contributions to the corporate venturing profession.
