WAVE - Women's Association of Venture & Equity’s Post

Honored to be one of the winners of the InvestHer Summit's Global Pitch Competition for Podopolo. Thank you ⚡Anne Ravanona for bringing so many inspiring #femalefounders together and supporting us - and congrats to all the other winners! When thinking of women #entrepreneurs, it is important for #investors to remember these stats: Women-founded companies in VC portfolios outperform those founded by men, by any measurement. While female-founded and led companies get 1.9% of VC investment (Pitchbook), they return more than twice per dollar invested (Boston Consulting Group), performing 63% better than all-male founding teams and generating 35% higher IRR. But wait, there's more: By not investing in women-owned businesses, #venture investors have lost participation in the generation of $39.6 Trillion (Morgan Stanley). Further, women-founded businesses generally exit faster for double the return (Pitchbook). Meanwhile, ethnically-diverse teams have a 35% higher likelihood of financially outperforming non-diverse teams (McKinsey). Women and diverse teams also address unrepresented large markets with fresh and differing perspectives that spot opportunities others overlook! So check out these founders who are doing amazing things!

Summit key takeaways part 4. Lightning Fireside Chats with 4 powerful change makers. They are leading the way to effect real systems change with data, culture, venture capital and women writing checks, from global to local! Thank you for sharing what motivates you and how you see we can all participate in the change we want to see Matt Moscardi, Rich Taylor, Cat Middleton, and Mina E. Black. Key takeaways: 💥 Matt Moscardi: - Global board data analysis shows discrepancy between how many women are on boards and the power they have in decision making. - In Europe diversity has been achieved through mandates BUT that does not guarantee inclusion which informs power i.e. Norway has largest power gap even though there's more representation in the workforce. - Free Float LLC can use analytics to find discrepancies between performance and achievement in your boardrooms and organizations. 💥 Richard T.: - NASDAQ requires 1 diverse board member or an explanation in order to be listed on the exchange, the diversify or delist initiative. - Peer pressure is working. Companies on other exchanges are volunteering more diversity disclosures. - Invest in a pipeline, mentorship, and measurement, and create incentives tied to objectives i.e. tie bonus to mentorship participation. 💥 Cat Middleton - There is a focus on a lack of funding for women but there is not enough diversity in the GP pool which means capital is being allocated within the same limited pool. - Opportunity within generational wealth is being passed down ($11 trillion) and there is more interest in varied and impactful asset classes. - Inclusive legislation is table stakes but needs to be conscious of quotas and tokenism. - A proposed bill around changing rules of minimum check sizes and accredited investor criteria would be a game changer  💥 Mina E. Black - Everyone has the opportunity to be an angel investor. - Diverse investors can connect you to diverse investment opportunities that might otherwise be overlooked. - When generational wealth is transferred we need to think about what industries / markets are important to us to invest in. Thank you Kirkland & Ellis for your support and making space to have these conversations! Nasdaq Free Float LLC The Venture Collective (TVC) RAINMAKERS COLLECTIVE #systemschange #innovation #investing

Over the past decade, beauty start-ups have benefited from lower barriers to entry and a frothy investment environment, but market dynamics have shifted, and raising early-stage investment has become more difficult than ever, especially for first-time founders. Investors have become more conservative in their bets, looking at brands with real traction or that are already profitable. The current investment environment has made angel investors more critical than ever. We've compiled a list of angel investors that have been active in the beauty and wellness category so far in 2023. https://lnkd.in/gVYpfZRE #BeautyIndustry #BeautyBusiness #Beauty #Finance #Resources

Starting the weekend by reminding myself, and all of us, that everday should be Women's Day. And with less than 2% of VC money going to women led ventures, it's time to move the dial. Meet the Top 15 founders of the Spring 2024 Women-Led Impact Investor Challenge. They come from 10 cities from coast to coast, and represent companies that are solving some of the biggest challenges we face today. Join me in celebrating: AiimSense Inc. led by Atefeh Zarabadi (Waterloo, ON) Apricotton, led by Jessica Miao and Chloe Beaudoin (Toronto, ON) Aruna Revolution, led by Rashmi Prakash (Waverley, NS) BeBlended, led by Aileen Agada (Waterloo, ON) DOT - Mind Unlocked, led by Yishel Khan (Ottawa, ON) homeD Modular, led by Michele Tung (Vancouver, BC) Kula Foods, led by Asha Wheeldon (Vancouver, BC) MycoFutures, led by Stephanie Lipp (Mississauga, ON) Pain Coach Inc., led by Emily Johnston (Halifax, NS) Savyn, led by Sakeena Mihar (Toronto, ON) Scotiaderm Inc., led by Johanna Mercer (Port Williams, NS) Untangle Money, led by Kristine Beese (Toronto, ON) Vessl Prosthetics, led by Sydney Robinson (London, ON) Vitract, led by Linta Mustafa and Chidozie Ojobor, Ph.D. (Toronto, ON) Vope Medical, led by Amy Lorincz (Montreal, PQ) How can you support these founders as they scale their impact ventures? One way is with your capital and anyone can be an investor in this program. The deadline to apply to become an investor for this program is March 21st, so get in on it before it’s too late! Thanks goes to the visionary support and partnership of National Research Council Canada / Conseil national de recherches Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program, BDC Thrive Lab, DLA Piper, Ink LLP, and RSM Canada. #investinginwomen #genderlensinvesting #impactinvesting #angelinvesting #canada #techforgood #businessforgood https://lnkd.in/g7VDqbEJ

Over the past decade, beauty start-ups have benefited from lower barriers to entry and a frothy investment environment, but market dynamics have shifted, and raising early-stage investment has become more difficult than ever, especially for first-time founders. The current investment environment has made angel investors more critical than ever. We've compiled a list of angel investors that have been active in the beauty and wellness category in 2023. https://lnkd.in/gVYpfZRE #BeautyIndustry #BeautyBusiness #Beauty #Finance #Resources #Investment #Wellness

The venture capital (VC) industry is pivotal in its evolution regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I). According to recent Deloitte research, companies led by a female founder, person of color, or anyone underrepresented in the venture industry receive an average of only 1.5% of all venture capital dollars invested. I couldn't be more excited to dive more into a rich discussion on the strategies we can employ to support diverse founders. VC industry can shape the future of our economy. They are one piece in the pivotal puzzle of making entrepreneurial leaps accessible to women and people of color. At our next event, August 10th, we will discuss with Preston L. James, II & Zach Ellis, Jr. the impact they have driven in their communities, how we can support diverse founders and the economic power they bring! Message me for a discount code! https://lnkd.in/gnCDjEad https://lnkd.in/gff8Ay93

🤔 Did you know that in 2021 investors deployed only 2% of venture funds into women-led teams and only 0.1% in Black women-led ventures? 🙄 Did you know that Boston Consulting Group found that if we invested equally in men and women, it would add $5 trillion to the Global economy? I didn't. But now I do. And I'm doing my part to change this. I'm thrilled to be an Investor in the 2024 Women-Led Impact Investor Challenge with Spring Collective. I'll be working alongside a group of angel investors curious about innovation in Canada, as we screen, assess and invest in women led ventures through an intensive, 9-week program. Here’s what makes this program so remarkable: 💪 Championing Women Founders: The vetted and diverse set of companies that are taking on critical issues: https://lnkd.in/gUVsQXrm  🙌 Purpose-Driven Investing: By making impact the focal point, it allows angel investors to invest into purpose-driven businesses that align with their values and target returns Excited to share my learnings with my network! #womeninbusiness #angelinvesting #womenledbusiness #impactinvesting

🚀 Just had an inspiring day at the Top 100 Swiss Investor Summit yesterday! 🇨🇭 It's always a pleasure to connect with fellow start-up CEOs and peer investors. A special shoutout to Patrick Griss, Stephan Wehrli , Ralf Molitor, Vincent Lepreux and Diego Braguglia – it was great catching up with you! 🤝 The event was a great dive into the current investment landscape, and here are my key takeaways: 1️⃣ The consensus from the panel (in the picture) was that the challenging investment environment we've been navigating will likely persist for another year or more. New investments will take longer to materialize, and the companies that are now bridging to 2024 may not find a greener grass on the other side. 2️⃣ My personal perspective is that companies with products aligning with existing care workflows, demonstrating market traction, and focusing on achieving profitability will have a significant advantage. 3️⃣ If your last funding round was in 2021 or earlier, it's crucial to ensure that your valuation expectations are realistic. The valuation landscape appears to be undergoing a reset rather than a temporary downturn. In these dynamic times, adaptability and a sharp focus on market realities will be the keys to success. Let's embrace the changes and continue to drive innovation and growth 🚀 I'm always open to discussing the future of healthcare and exploring opportunities for collaboration. If you'd like to connect or chat about the healthcare industry's exciting developments, please don't hesitate to get in touch with me. #TOP100SSU #InvestmentInsights #digitalhealth #Startups #VentureCapital #MarketTrends

💡 When was the last time you learned something new? The benefits of constantly learning something new extend far beyond acquiring knowledge. It nourishes the brain, promotes cognitive health, and contributes to overall well-being throughout life. This is why at WIT Angels Club we do our best to bring inspiring venture investment professionals to share their experience with our women angel investors. February session is about #medtech and #venturecapital. Would you be interested in attending a session where you can get some inspiring insights about how you can make rational and impactful investment decisions? #womeninvestors #innovation #europe

Thank you Bloomberg News for having me on this week to share our views at Female Founders Fund on the NYC tech ecosystem as part of NYC Tech Week. A few takeaways: Second Generation founders - NYC is seeing the next generation of founders who have worked at large companies and helped them scale now build their own businesses. Sectors: Over the last few years, we've seen NYC expand beyond adtech and direct to consumer with exciting businesses being built in healthcare, climate tech, and generative AI. VC: We’ve seen an influx of large funds open NYC offices including Index, Sequoia, Lightspeed, a16z. Jobs: New York City now has close to 370,000 tech jobs, outranking the finance sector, as per a 2022 study commissioned by Tech:NYC and Google. Female Founders: NYC continues to be a hub for some of the top female-founded growth stage companies nationwide across a diversity of sectors including healthcare, fintech, gen AI and more. More 👇🏽 https://lnkd.in/eq7sSmyi