Stella Villares

Stella Villares is a Partner at Barn Investments, a São Paulo–based venture capital and asset management firm focused on greentech and early-stage investments across sectors including agriculture, renewable energy, clean industry, and mobility. With over four decades of experience, she has built a multidisciplinary career spanning communication, technology, art, finance, and agriculture.

Stella began her professional journey at Arthur Andersen Systems Consulting before transitioning into the cultural sector, where she coordinated major initiatives such as the São Paulo Biennial. She later founded and led ventures in design and digital innovation, developing projects in print, digital platforms, and corporate communication for clients including Embraer, Hewlett Packard, Gillette, Deutsche Bank, and Visa.

From 2021 to 2024, Stella served as Special Adviser to the Chair of the Board at Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, working closely on governance and global health initiatives, including pandemic response and immunization strategies. During this time, she contributed to efforts such as the COVAX Facility, supporting the global distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. She currently serves on advisory boards for startups and NGOs in Brazil and internationally and is a Counselor at the Portuguese Diaspora Council. Stella holds a degree in Business Administration from Fundação Getúlio Vargas, a postgraduate diploma from the London College.