Kate Lowry, a former Vice President at the prominent venture capital firm Insight Partners, has filed a lawsuit alleging disability discrimination, gender discrimination, and wrongful termination. The suit, filed on December 30 in San Mateo County, California, and reviewed by TechCrunch, details a series of alleged abuses and a hostile work environment during her tenure.
Insight Partners has not yet responded to TechCrunch's request for comment regarding the allegations.
Lowry stated her motivation for filing the lawsuit, telling TechCrunch:
"Too many powerful, wealthy people in venture act like it's OK to break the law and systemically underpay and abuse their employees. It's an oppressive system that reflects broader trends in society that use fear, intimidation, and power to silence and isolate truth. I'm trying to change that."
Allegations of a Hostile Work Environment
Lowry joined Insight Partners in 2022, bringing experience from previous roles at Meta, McKinsey & Company, and an early-stage startup. The lawsuit claims that upon her hiring, she was assigned a different supervisor than the one discussed during her interview process.
Under this new, female supervisor, Lowry alleges she was instructed to be "online all the time, including PTO, holidays, and weekends," and to respond to communications daily between "6 a.m. and 11 p.m." The suit further claims this supervisor "berated, hazed, and antagonized" Lowry, openly discussing a hazing process that would be "longer and more intense" than what male reports endured.
Specific comments attributed to the supervisor in the lawsuit include, "you are incompetent, shut up and take notes," and "you need to obey me like a dog; do whatever I say whenever I say it, without speaking." Lowry also alleges that she was assigned "redundant tasks" and restricted from participating in calls, while less experienced male colleagues were permitted to do so. Instead, she claims she was relegated to "administrative tasks such as note-taking and cataloging."
Medical Leave and Subsequent Termination
Due to the stressful work environment, Lowry states she became "increasingly ill." Her physician recommended a medical leave of absence, which she took from February to July 2023.
Upon her return, Lowry was placed on a new team. The suit alleges that the head of human resources informed her that "if the new team did not like her, she would be fired."
In September 2023, Lowry suffered a concussion and took another medical leave. She returned to work near the end of 2024. Due to internal departures, she was placed under the supervision of yet another individual, where she claims the poor treatment continued. Lowry also alleges that her compensation in 2024 was approximately 30% below market rate.
By April 2025, she claims she was informed that her compensation would be cut. In May 2025, Lowry, through her attorneys, sent a letter to Insight Partners detailing her alleged treatment by the company. The lawsuit states that a week later, Insight Partners terminated her employment.
Echoes of Past Industry Lawsuits
Lowry's lawsuit draws parallels to Ellen Pao's high-profile 2012 suit against Kleiner Perkins, another prominent venture capital firm, which also alleged discrimination and retaliation. While Pao ultimately lost her case, it brought unprecedented attention to how women partners felt treated within the venture capital world and inspired other women to pursue legal action against major tech companies.
