2024 Top 10 List of Women-Focused Venture Funds

There are more female co-founded startups reaching 21% in 2023, a record high; that’s the good news.  But according to PitchBook, female-only-founded startups received 2% of all venture capital (VC) dollars in 2023; the amount of capital raised by women founders has declined along with the overall U.S. market. In 2023, women-founded companies raised $34.4 billion, down from $44.2 billion raised in 2022 and $61.5 billion raised in 2023. Even the amount of deals where women-founded startups received VC money fell last year to 3,313, down from 4,461 in 2022.  So much work still to be done.

At Esse Law, we’re committed to leveling the playing field for women founders and entrepreneurs, providing the support and resources they need to thrive in the startup world. We’re excited to highlight some of the top venture funds actively investing in women-led companies. Join us as we aim to move the needle by supporting the trailblazing women shaping the future of business.  

1. Emmeline Ventures – Emmeline Ventures invests in “female founders building game-changing businesses which empower women, in particular, to manage their health, build their wealth, and live in a cleaner, safer world.”
   • Current Fund Size – $8M ; Dry Powder – unknown; AUM – unknown; Early Stage; Investment focus: women’s health and life sciences.
2. SoGal Ventures – SoGal Ventures invests in “next-gen billion-dollar businesses that unapologetically benefit people, society, and the planet.”
   • Current Fund Size – unknown ; Dry Powder – unknown; AUM – unknown; Early Stage; Investment focus: consumer, healthcare, and technology.
3. 2045 Ventures – 2045 Ventures “back[s] diverse, mission-driven founders who are building innovative solutions and shaping a better tomorrow.”
   • Current Fund Size – unknown ; Dry Powder – unknown; AUM – unknown; Pre-Seed and Seed Stage; Investment focus: FinTech, HealthTech, and ClimateTech.
4. Kaya Ventures – Kaya Ventures focuses on “[b]uilding a healthier future for all.”
   • Current Fund Size – unknown ; Dry Powder – unknown; AUM – unknown; Early Stage; Investment focus: Health and wellness.
5. Halogen Ventures – Halogen Ventures invests in “early-stage investing in consumer technology and strategic B2B software companies with a female in the founding team.”
   • Current Fund Size – $31.4M ; Dry Powder – unknown; AUM – unknown; Pre-Seed, Seed and Early Stage; Investment focus: Consumer Technology 
6. Serena Ventures – Serena Ventures follows its philosophy “[t]hrough a champion mindset and unparalleled network, we empower founders to change the world.”
   • Current Fund Size – $111M ; Dry Powder – unknown; AUM – unknown; Pre-Seed, Seed and Early Stage; Investment focus: Healthcare, FinTech, e-Commerce.
7. Overlooked Ventures – Overlooked Ventures supports founders  who operate early-stage technology companies who are historically overlooked.”
   • Current Fund Size – unknown ; Dry Powder – unknown; AUM – unknown; Pre-Seed, Seed and Early Stage; Investment focus: Technology (across board sectors)
8. XFactor Ventures – XFactor Ventures supports “ambitious founders with the ‘X Factor’ – the insight and drive to build the next billion-dollar company.”
   • Current Fund Size – $11.6M ; Dry Powder – unknown; AUM – unknown; Pre-Seed and Seed; Investment focus:  information technology, business products, and services sectors.
9. Artemis Fund – Artemis Fund is named for “the goddess of the hunt and champion of women and wild things.”
   • Current Fund Size – $36M ; Dry Powder – unknown; AUM – unknown; Seed; Investment focus: Fintech, E-comm tech, and Caretech.
10. Golden Seeds Angel Network – “Golden Seeds, one of the nation’s largest and most active early-stage investment groups, focuses squarely on [the] high-potential segment” of women founders.
    • Has an affiliated venture fund called Golden Seeds Venture Fund (GSVF).  GSVF has a unique and symbiotic relationship with the Golden Seeds Angel Network. This relationship allows the independently managed Venture Fund to access the entrepreneur funding applications that come to Golden Seeds.  Investment focus: Majority women-owned companies with women holding leadership positions.

For additional lists of women-focused funds:

• Beta Boom’s List
• Nixon Gwilt’s List of Funds
• American Entrepreneurship Today’s List
• VC Sheet’s List
• Women of Wearables’ List
• Glass Half Funded’s List

Other Resources for Founders and Investors:

• Sidelines VC – Sidelines is an investment platform that programmatically matches companies run by underrepresented and marginalized leaders with accredited capital sources.
• She Angel Investors – She Angel Investors is a multimedia platform that connects women to funding and investment resources.
• Women in VC – Women in VC offers the world’s largest global directory database for female venture investors and offers a private platform for members to engage and share resources.
• Unreasonable – The Unreasonable Fellowship is an invite-only community for growth-stage entrepreneurs to connect with investors, mentors, and partners to scale history-defining ventures.
• Flow Capital – Flow Capital curated a collection of useful resources to help female entrepreneurs including fundraising tools, a list of capital resources, podcasts, and more.

In solidarity.

Shaheen