Jules Pieri
Jules Pieri is an Investing Partner at XFactor Ventures. She is also the Co-founder and former CEO of the The Grommet, a business which launched more than 3,000 consumer products from 2008-2022. The company’s Citizen Commerce™ movement reshaped how products are discovered, shared, and bought. Jules started her career as an industrial designer for technology companies and was a senior executive at Keds, Stride Rite, and Playskool. The Grommet is her third startup, following roles as VP at Design Continuum and President of Ziggs.
Jules completed her undergraduate degree summa cum laude at the University of Michigan and people tell her she is the first designer to graduate from Harvard Business School, where she is an Entrepreneur in Residence Emeritus. Jules is a member of G20 Ventures, and served on the board of the University of Michigan Alumni Association.
Jules was named one of Fortune’s Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs in 2013 and one of Goldman Sachs’ 100 Most Interesting Entrepreneurs in 2014. In 2017, Ace Hardware acquired a majority stake in The Grommet and then subsequently sold the business.
Jules is frequently asked to speak on consumer trends and technologies, design, and entrepreneurship. She has presented at HBS, SCAD, MIT, and at conferences including SXSW, Internet Retailer, and the Conference on World Affairs. She’s been featured in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fortune, and many other media outlets.
She writes a personal blog on these subjects at julespieri.com and posts as @julespieri on Twitter and Instagram.