Alumni Ventures Boosts Female-Led Startups With New Venture Fund

Despite being only 10 years in business, Alumni Ventures ranks fourth overall among VCs investing in female-led startups. AV has already backed 357 women-founded or -led companies. These include Knix, sold by Joanna Griffiths to Essity for $320 million, a milestone for female-led DTC firms; and Kindbody, led by Gina Bartasi, which has amassed $290 million in funding and reached a $1.8 billion valuation.

“We’re launching from a position of strength,” noted Managing Partner Laura Rippy, who leads the Women’s Fund. “From that solid foundation, we’re building a fund that will back truly amazing companies that are setting off to change the world.”

The fund’s all-female investment team is backed by a network of deal-sourcing scouts and a community of 150,000 followers — giving Rippy confidence in the fund’s ability to access and support a highly promising portfolio of ventures. She noted that the Women’s Fund will adhere to the same thorough diligence that is standard practice for all potential AV portfolio investments.

Rippy brings a wealth of experience to the table, having invested in and monitored hundreds of deals for Green D Ventures, AV’s largest fund. Coupled with her previous C-suite roles in successful tech companies, she has developed keen insights into the worlds of both startups and VCs.

That experience also makes Rippy familiar with the unique roadblocks women founders can face in seeking VC funding. As revealed in a February 2024 PitchBook analysis, companies founded or led by women receive just 15% of all VC investment. A 2021 study by Harvard Business Review may indicate why: Only 12% of decision-makers at VC firms are women, and 65% of firms still do not have a single female partner.

Gender disparities aside, focusing a venture fund on women-led startups is simply smart business, said Rippy. “VCs are overlooking female startup founders and leaders — and they’re missing out on some of the real advantages they offer.”

“VCs are overlooking female startup founders and leaders — and they’re missing out on some of the real advantages they offer.”

Various studies have shown that women-founded businesses yield more — delivering twice the revenue per dollar than those founded by men. They also see 10% higher cumulative revenue over five years and have lower bankruptcy rates. Companies with female founders exit about 7.2 years on average, faster than the broader market, and exhibit a 25% lower monthly capital burn rate.

“Businesses founded or led by women constitute an untapped and massive opportunity,” said Rippy — one she’s excited to share with investors. She sees the Women’s Fund as both an extension and fulfillment of Alumni Ventures’ overall mission.

“AV is a community-powered VC firm,” Rippy observed. “We’re bringing those network effects to a community of women, asking them to support a portfolio that we believe will be both purposeful and profitable.”

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About Alumni Ventures

Alumni Ventures offers accredited individuals access to professional-grade venture capital, a key asset class missing from the portfolios of many sophisticated investors. Since 2014, AV has raised $1.3+ billion from 10,000+ investors and backed 1,300+ unique portfolio companies. AV is a top 20 VC firm in North America according to CB Insights and the #1 most active VC firm in the U.S., and #3 most active in the world, according to PitchBook’s 2022 and 2023 rankings. AV has won awards from Inc. Magazine, Fast Company, Benzinga, and the US FinTech Awards. AV funds are private, for-profit, and not affiliated with or sanctioned by any school.

Media Contact Info
Scott Murphy
Alumni Ventures
670 N. Commercial Street, Suite 403
Manchester, NH 03101
Email: [email protected]