Men have typically dominated the angel investing world. However this is changing as a result of a growing numbers of women entrepreneurs, investors and mentors.
Kristina Montague, Managing Partner, The Jump Fund
JumpFund doubles capital with its second round of investments.
Its’ initial fund raised approximately $2.5M which was invested in 18 companies including Feetz, Partpic, Stony Creek Colors, and Torch. Soon after, with Jump Fund II, it hoped to raise $5.0 – $7.0M to invest in female-led companies with growth potential. Now as of 2018, the JumpFund has raised another $5.2 million.
Want to learn about other women-led startups? Check out our Women Entrepreneur’s Spotlight.
The success of the Jump Fund is encouraging; therefore, Launchopedia team to take a fresh look at the options for women to obtain funding for their startups.
In our original publication of this article on May 25, 2015, we included seven, (7) angel groups and VCs. Launchopedia is excited to share our list has nearly tripled to (20) angel groups and VC’s with a focus on investing in women-led companies. Our new additions include Aspect Ventures, Forerunner Ventures, Belle Capital USA, and Valor VC.
Following please find our revised list:
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37 Angels
A New York City based community of women investors committed to funding early-stage startups;
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Advising Angels
An Atlanta based group of investors and mentors seeks “passionate, highly intelligent, creative, tenacious women visionaries”;
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Aspect Ventures
Focusing on Series A investments, Aspect Ventures was started in 2014 when Theresia Gouw and Jennifer Fonstand decided to begin “bridging the funding gap between angels and the larger multi-stage VC platforms through collaboration and diversity.”
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Astia Angels
With groups in both New York City and San Francisco, works to provide “unparalleled access to capital and advisory support”;
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BBG Ventures
An AOL backed VC which has a focus on early-stage consumer internet and mobile startups require its’ portfolio companies to have at least one female founder on the team. The organization sprouted out of AOL’s #BUILTBYGIRLS initiative.
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Belle Capital USA
An early-stage venture fund with one major contingency, companies looking for capital must have at least one female founder or C-level executive or be willing to recruit women to the C-suite and Board of Directors. Their primary focus is in technology and digital health.
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Broadway Angels
Of San Francisco is an all-women group who are venture capital partners and senior executives;
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The Female Founders Fund
Touts a portfolio of more than two and a half dozen companies led by female founders. They believe, “Women make better entrepreneurs”. Their focus areas include e-commerce, web-enabled products and services, marketplaces and platforms.
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Forerunner Ventures
Forerunner Ventures focuses on early-stage, ambitious entrepreneurs who are looking to revitalize the commerce industry. As of 2018, they now have a $360M fund known as Fund IV.
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Golden Seeds
Has branches in Boston, San Francisco, New York City and Texas which focus on women-led start-ups;
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Pipeline Angels
Active in the investment process holding boot camps for new investors and pitch summits for startups at locations across the country. More than twenty companies have received funding from the Pipeline Angels which is currently seeking applications to these programs;
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Phenomenelle Angels Fund
Invests in women and minority owned or managed businesses. Their sectors of interest include information technology, biotech/life sciences, clean energy, consumer goods and services, and communications.
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Plum Alley
Supports the growth and development of “women entrepreneurs and gender-balanced teams”. Formed in 2015, they believe in the diversity of managerial perspectives facilitates the strongest teams and best companies.
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Sofia Fund
Seeks “early stage, growth-oriented, gender diverse entrepreneurial companies that have women leaders on the management team who own equity in the business;” Since 1998, Sofia Fund and its managing partners have invested more than $10M in over 50 companies.
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Springboard Enterprises
Since 1999, “we’ve helped 735 high-growth, women-led companies over 18 years raise $8.7B in capital.” Springboard helps accelerate women entrepreneurs to success and collaborates with top-level corporations and institutions such as MIT, Harvard, Kellogg, Fidelity Investments, and many more.
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Topstone Angels
A Connecticut based female-founded and led group accepts pitch applications from startups and scouts investment opportunities at events from across the United States. They actively encourage female entrepreneurs to apply;
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The Jump Fund
Desires to “propel women as entrepreneurs, investors, and leaders in fueling innovation and driving economic growth,” and;
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Women’s Venture Capital Fund
Focuses on digital media and sustainable product and service startup companies. They seek “gender diverse teams” which include leadership from women entrepreneurs, and;
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X-Squared Angels
Is dedicated to supporting businesses that include both men and women in their executive management. Their most recent investment was on Sep 14, 2018, when they invested $1.2M in Sisu Global Health.
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Valor VC
Valor VC headquarters in Atlanta, GA, and has a majority portfolio of women and minority-led businesses. They focus on seed-level startups and entrepreneurs.
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Accelerators Which Focus on Women-Led Startups
According to the Center for Venture Research, in 2015, women angels represented 25.3% of the angel market as compared to 21.8% of all angel investors in 2012. This also represents a significant improvement from 2011s’ 12.2%. In addition, women-owned ventures accounted for 29.2% of the entrepreneurs seeking investment in 2015.
However only 14.4% of those received investment in 2015 according to the center’s annual report on the angel investor market. Despite the increases in women angels and women entrepreneurs seeking angel capital, the percentage of those receiving investment has steadily declined during the last four years. This latter trend is somewhat bothersome.
The list above and these numbers demonstrate a generally improving ecosystem for the woman entrepreneur. However, significant opportunity for progress continues to exist, especially in terms of female entrepreneurs receiving funding. Launchopedia will continue to review the angel funding investment ecosystem and share additional options as the ecosystem develops further and we identify additional participants.
Are you familiar with other angel groups or VCs from around the world which are led by women and fund women-led startups? If so, we would like to hear from you. Tell us about them, sharing your comments!
