Trends in Venture Capital: Progress for Female Founders
Global Invest Her
Let's get 1M women entrepreneurs funded by 2030. Community is Capital. Change the Funding Game with Us. Fund WE.
Issue #410
In this issue, we spotlight key developments in the venture capital and digital health sectors, emphasizing the remarkable strides towards inclusivity and innovation. Highlighting the achievements of female-led initiatives and the impact of diversity in funding and research, we delve into significant advancements that are shaping the future of technology and healthcare.
This week we are also reading;
#CommunityIsCapital
Until Next Time & Thank You for Reading,
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?? What is Happening in the World of Women Founders??
S?kerData, a female-led digital health startup based in London, has secured a notable part of a ￡6.2 million grant from Innovate UK. This funding will boost their project to create an innovative biomarker database, enhancing drug discovery and personalized medicine.?
The project aims to fill the diversity gap in clinical trials and genetic research, historically centered on European populations, by including more diverse global populations, especially in diseases with varied outcomes like breast cancer. Innovate UK's investment supports S?kerData's mission to develop the world's most comprehensive and diverse biomarker database, marking a significant advancement in inclusive pharmaceutical research.
?? Funding News from the Global Stage
Despite fundraising challenges, women-led venture capital funds saw growth in 2023, capturing around 3% of the global $107 billion raised by venture funds, a rise from less than 2% in 2022, per Venture Capital Journal. This growth, albeit modest, highlights a positive trend in U.S. venture capital for women-founded companies. Supportive measures such as incubators for women founders and funds focusing on underrepresented entrepreneurs have fueled this uptick.?
??? InvestHer Podcast?
?? Episode 44 - Investing in Change: Shaping Policy and Practice for Inclusive Funding of Women Entrepreneurs with Allison Byers, Founder & CEO of Scroobious
? March is a special month as we celebrate?International Women's Day and Women's History Month ?
In the spirit of highlighting phenomenal women, we're thrilled to share an inspiring episode of the ??? InvestHer Podcast featuring Allison Byers, the visionary founder of Scroobious.
Allison's story is one of resilience, innovation, and dedication to creating a more equitable funding landscape for underrepresented founders ???? As a founder, advocate for change, and angel investor ??, she's breaking barriers and paving the way for future generations of women in business ??????
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In This Episode You'll Learn;
"You have to maintain some humor. You have to like what you're doing... the more practice and the more you can maintain that mindset and authentic mindset of this is not me begging someone for money. This is me getting to know someone who might be a good investor and might not. And if they're not, I am moving on because there are literally millions of investors." - Allison Byers, Founder & CEO, Scroobious
P.S. Don't forget to subscribe to never miss an episode ???
?????? Investor Insights
Navigating the European tech scene presents unique challenges for female founders, from securing later-stage funding to encountering biased questions from VCs, setting them apart from their male counterparts.
However, a glimmer of progress shines through in PitchBook's 2023 report on female founders and VCs. Despite holding a smaller slice of the funding pie, this share is on the rise.?
The report offers insights into women's roles in venture capital decision-making, the involvement of female angel investors, and the exit strategies for startups led by women.
?? Latest Deals & Funds
Inspired Capital marks its fifth anniversary by securing $330 million for its third fund, elevating its total assets to nearly $900 million. Founded in 2019 by entrepreneurs Alexa von Tobel and Penny Pritzker in New York, the venture firm has swiftly grown, with previous funds of $200 million and $281 million. Co-founders also include General Partners Lucy Deland and Mark Batsiyan.
The latest fund, Fund III, garners support from institutional investors, including prominent endowments, pensions, and foundations. Alexa von Tobel expresses her commitment to venture capital as a transformative force for global economic growth and change, focusing on investing in "fearless founders" tackling humanity's significant challenges from pre-seed to Series A stages, with investments ranging from $1 million to $15 million.
?? Join Our Community
Ready to connect, share, and thrive alongside like-minded individuals?
Dive into our vibrant WhatsApp Community, a dynamic hub where women founders and funders come together to network, exchange groundbreaking ideas, and ignite collaborations.
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?? Featured Founder Spotlight?
Meet Allison Byers, a trailblazer advocating for equitable funding through her innovative platform, Scroobious. ?Her story, from overcoming career hurdles to empowering underrepresented founders, is nothing short of inspiring!
Scroobious democratizes access to pitch resources, aiming to rewrite the rules of funding for diverse entrepreneurs ????
Allison is not only sharing her journey on our latest ??? InvestHer Podcast episode but will also illuminate the stage as a speaker at this year's InvestHer Summit in Dublin ??
Events Around the ??
Explore a diverse array of empowering gatherings, workshops, and opportunities that span the globe. Whether you're seeking networking events, educational webinars, or thought-provoking conferences, we've got you covered.
Trailblazing Women: Streaming Live from Dublin – March 2024
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