Melanie “Mel” Strong (she/her) is a Founding Partner of NEXT VENTURES early stage venture fund, and is focused on innovative technology investments across health, wellness, and sports. Mel has led investments in Oura, Momentous, and Outside, and supports the rest of the portfolio with go-to-market strategy, marketing, talent planning, and executive leadership. Mel serves on the boards of OK Capsule, USA Cycling and Outdoor Afro. She also spent 17 years at Nike, leading several international businesses including Nike Women and Football/Soccer, and the launch of the Nike Running and Training Club apps and the Nike+ FuelBand.