Support for women entrepreneurs continues to grow, as more resources emerge to help them start and grow their businesses. One major impediment for women entrepreneurs is access to capital.
A recent study conducted by Babson College in collaboration with the Diana International Impact Report showed the importance of disruptive funding models in helping women business owners receive critical funding to grow their businesses. In addition, a report by Pitchbook revealed that significant progress was made in the area of venture capital investment going into female-founded startups, with funding in 2017 and 2018 reaching all-time highs.
Here is list of active of venture capital firms and angel groups supporting women entrepreneurs:
Amplifyher Ventures: A venture capital firm that invests in visionary founders with diverse leadership teams
Backstage Capital: A venture capital firm that invests underrepresented founders.
BBG Ventures: An early stage fund focused on consumer tech startups with a female founder.
Belle Capital USA: An early stage investing in high growth companies in the underserved market of women-led companies
Bumble Fund: A fund that invests in early-stage ventures, primarily those founded and led by women of color and those from underrepresented groups
Chloe Capital: A vc firm that invests in women-led innovation companies and known for its national #InvestInWomen
Female Founders Fund: A fund that is the leading source of institutional capital for female founders, having raised over $3B in enterprise value.
Golden Seeds Angel Network: Over 270 women angel members with four funds having invested in over 170 companies
Intel Capital Diversity Fund: Launched the Diversity and Inclusion Initiative to invest $125 million in technology companies led by women and underrepresented populations, which include Black, Latinx, and Native Americans and startups led by entrepreneurs living with disabilities, U.S.-based entrepreneurs from the LGBTQ community and U.S. military.
Jane VC: Accepts pitches from all female entrepreneurs with no introduction
JumpStart Focus Fund: The Focus Fund invests seed capital in tech-based companies led by female entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs of color throughout Ohio – as well as those willing to move to the state
Merian Ventures: Invests in women founded and co-founded innovation in cyber, blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and consumer-facing companies
Pipeline Angels: A membership organization of over 400 women angels who serve members as the friends and family round for entrepreneurs; conducts an angel investing program that has placed more than US$6M in 70+ companies
Portfolia: Designs investment funds for women backing innovative companies
Rethink Impact: venture capital firm investing in female leaders using technology to solve the world’s biggest problems
Springboard Growth Capital: Selects and supports women entrepreneurs poised to access institutional capital.
37 Angels: A membership organization of 80+ members who are pushing to close the gap between female-led and male-led ventures
Women’s Venture Capital Fund: Invests in women entrepreneurs seeking Series A and B financings in revenue-generating, capital-efficient companies
Even though more venture firms are focusing on funding women founders, the last assessment of the venture capital industry revealed that less than 5% of women-led ventures receive funding. It is hoped that in the foreseeable future the rise of these women-focused funds will have a dent in that low funding percentage.
In the meantime, support for women entrepreneurs does not stop with greater sources of equity funding, as progress continues in the areas of mentoring for women, women-focused government programs and the better foundation being laid now by large corporations committing to gender parity and diversity in their workforce.
