Lindsay Karas Stencel is a Senior Partner at Thompson Hine LLP in the New Ventures group in where she focuses on growing venture capital and increasing capital access for entrepreneurs throughout the Midwest, representing venture firms and startups nationwide from formation to exit and all the stages in between. She also chairs the firm’s Fund Formation practice group, where she oversees private fund formation for clients in 49 states.

Lindsay began her venture career working in big law in New York. After she obtained her MBA from THE Ohio State University, she shifted joined NCT Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm in Columbus, OH. She worked her way up the ranks to become one of the managing partners and chief legal counsel, making her one of the first female venture capital partners in the Midwest.

Lindsay next joined Launch New York, Inc., a 501(c)(3) venture development organization that works to provide mentorship and funding to seed stage businesses in the 27 westernmost counties of New York. During her tenure, the firm was the most active seed fund in New York with over 90 transactions in less than three years, which resulted in Lindsay being awarded the Early-Stage Dealmaker of the Year by the Upstate Capital Association of New York for 2018, the Upstate Venture Connect Community Catalyst Award for 2019, and the 2019 Investor of the Year Award from Upstate Capital Association. Lindsay was nominated for the 2020 NVCA American Spirit Award and named to the Columbus Business First 40 Under 40 and ColumbusCEO Future50. She has also been named to the Best Lawyers list for Business Organizations and Structuring for five consecutive years starting in 2020, and most recently, she was named 2023 Trailblazer of the Year by Columbus Business First and the Ohio Women’s Bar Association’s 2024 Kurt Tunnell DEI Sponsor Award winner for her efforts in creating equity and inclusion in the law and finance.

She is also a co-founder of BOLD Ventures, a women-led investment group acutely focused on investing in seed stage technology businesses in the Rust Belt in companies that are women-, diverse- or veteran-led. She is also the founder of BOLDER INC., a non-profit organization providing wellness resources to founders across the country.

Lindsay is an Adjunct Professor at THE Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, teaching students about venture capital, deal structuring and client development. Lindsay also is an active speaker internationally, advocating for diversity and inclusion of women and minorities in finance and the law.