Melinda Wittstock CEO Founder Podopolo, Entrepreneur, Podcaster’s Post

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

Our June Update is Celebrating Female Founders... We’re incredibly proud of our roster of talented female founder clients, offering investment opportunities across a broad range of sectors and include a selection of current campaigns. We also highlight our 3 Online Events this month, all focussed on Female Founders... Early Stage Investment Opportunities Pitch Event - 20th June at 2pm Female Founders Forum: Success Stories & Expert Insights - 25th June at 2pm Growth Stage Investment Opportunities Pitch Event - 27th June at 2pm #femalefounders #vcinvesting #angelinvesting #womenentrepreneurs

Our June Update is Celebrating Female Founders, including: - We’re incredibly proud of our roster of talented female founder clients, offering investment opportunities across a broad range of sectors and include a selection of current campaigns. - We also highlight our 3 Online Events this month, all focussed on Female Founders... Early Stage Investment Opportunities Pitch Event - 20th June at 2pm Female Founders Forum: Success Stories & Expert Insights - 25th June at 2pm Growth Stage Investment Opportunities Pitch Event - 27th June at 2pm #femalefounders #vcinvesting #angelinvesting #womenentrepreneurs

🌟 Exciting webinar announcement for founders! 🌟 We are excited to announce that we are teaming up with Even Founders to host a webinar for founders on Nov 29th from 15:00-16:00: THE ART OF INVESTOR SELECTION: A FOUNDER'S ROADMAP 🗺 In light of the fact that female founders receive a tiny fraction of investor funds, we're focusing on helping entrepreneurs, especially women, get their fair share 🙋♀️👏 Talented Ana Andonovska and our very own Louise Bech Junge will walk you through: 🚀 The art of selecting the right investors for your venture. 🕒 The optimal timing for seeking investment. 💡 How to decide on the equity you're willing to share. The webinar is in English and is open to all, as it is supported by Industriens Fond 💜 Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/eRHBHcAp Kristine Leerbeck Frederikke Andrea Kristensen

📣 Exciting Announcement! 📣 Last Wednesday, Mirela Sula hosted an incredible masterclass on "How to become an Investor" with the amazing Bridgette L. Smith 🦋 (Verified Page) and it was absolutely mind-blowing! 👏 And guess what? We have another powerhouse joining us this week! 🌟 Introducing Catherine Gray a powerful investor who has just launched a groundbreaking movie called "SHOW HER THE MONEY." 🎥 In this inspiring film, Catherine addresses the shocking statistic that women receive less than 2% of venture capital funding. She demystifies the world of venture capital and follows the journey of four visionary founders as they navigate uphill battles to turn their ideas into reality. 💪 Despite facing constant challenges, these resilient women, with the support of their angel investors, become even more determined and resourceful. The growth of their businesses is nothing short of extraordinary, with each one having the potential to become a billion-dollar unicorn! We are thrilled to announce that Catherine will be joining our masterclass TOMORROW, and we want YOU to be a part of it! Best of all, it's FREE and completely online. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to learn from Catherine and gain valuable insights into the world of investing. Register now at the link below: https://lnkd.in/dXqkNK2W) See you at the masterclass! #Investing #Masterclass #ShowHerTheMoney #WomenInBusiness #UnicornBusinesses

The year 2023 proved to be a challenging yet transformative period for female founders and investors. According to PitchBook’s newest "All In" report, while overall venture dealmaking saw its second consecutive annual decline ($34.4 billion in 2023 compared to 2022’s $44.2 billion), female entrepreneurs secured a record-high 27.8% of the total VC deal value, a significant increase from the previous year's 18.7 %.

A great Chart of the Day from Angeles Investors sponsor PitchBook (Andrew Stearns). Great to see more female founded companies reaching late stage. Some of the top companies in my portfolio are led by female founders. Read more in the Q4 2023 Pitchbook-NVCA Venture Monitor report found here: https://lnkd.in/gANywn2a If you found this useful, follow me on Linkedin, Twitter, and Instagram for more exponential growth and investing insights. For funding, investment opportunities and more, please follow Angeles Investors! #VentureCapital #FemaleFounders #StartupSuccess #Pitchbook #WomenInBusiness #AngelInvesting #PortfolioCompanies #EmpoweringWomen

Yasmine Lacaillade wanted to set an example for her daughters and show them they can create their own impact in the world. She founded Sinefine in 2022, to build out a network of women-owned VC firms and establish it as an outperforming asset class that adds value to institutional portfolios “Women have a proclivity to invest in different markets than men do. They look at companies differently, and that means that from a portfolio construction perspective too. That’s really important from a diversification output perspective because it enriches the LPs’ existing portfolios.”, says Lacaillade. Sinefine’s investment thesis contends that most data shows that women outperform their male peers in the industry despite limited resources. However, most women-owned venture firms have assets that fall below many allocators’ minimum AUM thresholds. According to the Harvard Kennedy School, women make up approximately 11% investing partners at VC firms, and only around 13% of venture capital dollars go to startups with a woman on the founding team. Sinefine looks to address this issue and narrow the capital allocation disparity between female VCs and their male competitors. Read more about the impact Yasmine and Sinefine are making: https://lnkd.in/eCmbXR8f #venturecapital #womenshistorymonth #womeninventure #diverseleadership

🌟 Women are the New Face of Wealth - this is a beautiful way to celebrate International Women's Day (insightful article in the post!👇) 🌟    Happy International Women’s Day to our network of founders, angel investors, and professionals who make a difference every day in the ventures ecosystem.   🚀 Check out the article just released today for insightful perspectives on how women are redefining wealth and shaping the venture investment landscape, featuring insights from our stellar angels Raluca Alexandru, Roxana Precu, Monica JIMAN, Laura Voinea, and Narcisa Grumaz.   🌸 Women Redefining Wealth: Explore how women are reshaping traditionally male-dominated areas, including venture investment. 📈 Investing in Innovation: Discover the role of venture investment in supporting innovative startups and emerging technologies. 👩🦱 Challenges and Opportunities: Learn about the diverse perspectives and networks women bring to the investment landscape.   Explore the article (in EN & RO) to discover how WIT Angels Club is reshaping the venture investment scene!   🤝 🌍 If you are a curious professional at the beginning of your investment journey or an experienced female investor who wants to be connected to other leaders from the ecosystem, we welcome you with open arms to our network of women business angels! Big thank you to Revista Biz, Financial Intelligence and The Recursive for having accepted to publish our article.   #womeninvestors #GenderGap #Innovation #europe   Ruxandra Muys-Stoian Andreea Saia Selena Stan Gabriela Mandrea Giorgio Pennacchio

Thrilled to announce that SV is featured on the Business Insider Seed 40 for the second year running! This list highlights the top 40 female investors in early stage venture capital. Our managing partner Serena Williams explains how we set our companies up for success: "I believe that investing doesn't begin or end with capital. At Serena Ventures, we offer comprehensive support to our founders, like executive coaching, marketing, and branding support to name a few. So founders can simultaneously scale with their company.” Click the link below to learn more & check out the other incredible women also featured this year! https://lnkd.in/ddrM8UQu