Our Spring 2024 News: Upside of the Downturn

How We've Blossomed

In this season of renewal and major celestial events, we ourselves are also celebrating a refresh.

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Our Spring 2024 News: Upside of the Downturn

Happy Spring!

This past March—Women’s History Month—we launched our new and improved website. We’ve got an updated logo, a new color palette (rivaling a Spring tulip garden!) and a whole new way of showcasing our portfolio companies, the emerging funds we partner with, and the insights and expertise we want to share with you (on the GingerSnaps blog, of course).

It’s a reflection of how we’ve blossomed — both as a firm and as part of a vibrant, growing ecosystem of founders and funders. Please check it out and let us know what you think.

Speaking of funders…

Our new website includes snapshots of the funds in which GingerBreadCap is an LP (now 25+) — with a special spotlight on our homepage of companies we’ve co-invested in with our partner funds.

First up: our co-investment with BBG Ventures in Spring Health, which helps employers provide behavioral health benefits to their employees. BBG Ventures, founded in 2014 by Susan Lyne and Nisha Dua, was one of the first funds we partnered with, when we could count on one hand the number of funds devoted to investing in female founders.

Check out the emerging funds we invest in.

“When money is in the hands of women, good things happen.”

Linnea Roberts

Upside of the Downturn

Lots of great new research has come out in the past couple of months giving us hope that the Great Downturn in the VC industry isn’t going to last forever. In the spirit of “never waste a good crisis,” over these last 18 months we’ve been seeing:

– more rational valuations
– the path to profitability is taking center stage
– companies that preserved their runway are beginning to thrive
– an abundance of investment capital on the sidelines

We’re also heartened by the growing awareness in our industry that women are exceptional stewards of capital. Proving that point is the growing number of emerging funds launched in the last five years that are led by women and underrepresented managers. Like General Partner Sarah Deshpande of Maven Ventures, for instance, which recently announced its close on a $60M Fund IV (and in which we’re an LP). They’ve already invested in seven startups that are using AI to make life easier for consumers.

Today, at least 60 funds are focused solely on investing in women-led startups. (A recent article in in Venture Capital Journal examines some compelling factors driving this trend.) While not all of the emerging funds we invest in have a stated mandate to invest in women and underrepresented founders, studies clearly show that the more diverse a VC’s leadership team is, the more apt that diversity is reflected in their portfolios.

We’re all about nurturing and championing an ecosystem of women founders and funders. And creating on-ramps and opportunities for women to use their capital to support other women and earn financial returns. The reason is simple:

Because when money is in the hands of women, good things happen.

Toward a More Inclusive Capitalism

Our mission puts us in great company. Earlier this year, we were honored to be recognized on the inaugural DEIC Power100 list. Compiled by Blueprint Capital Advisors, the Power100 comprises leaders in venture capital and asset management who are committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusive Capitalism.

We shared the spotlight with a number of our partner funds, including Cake Ventures, Ulu Ventures, Precursor Ventures, Harlem Capital and Female Founders Fund. Find them all profiled here.

New Investments, Portfolio Company Highlights, Upcoming Events

Lots more to share with you!

News from GingerBread