Five Pittsburgh-area Founders Pitch for Investments

Invest In Women x Pittsburgh is a partnership between Chloe Capital and Ascender, and supported by the Richard King Mellon Foundation, to help move capital to underrepresented founders in the Pittsburgh area. 

[RELEASE] April, 19, 2022 – Pittsburgh, PA – Chloe Capital, a Movement-driven venture capital firm, has selected five women-led technology companies to participate in INVEST IN WOMEN x PITTSBURGH (chloecapital.com/pittsburgh) this Spring. This unique fundraising experience for underrepresented founders is in partnership with Ascender, a nonprofit incubator for Pittsburgh’s entrepreneurs, and supported by the Richard King Mellon Foundation.

Despite recent progress, a study by Boston Consulting Group shows that if men and women around the world were treated equally as entrepreneurs, our global economy would experience a $5 trillion boost. 

To help move the needle, five women entrepreneurs from the Pittsburgh area have now been chosen to participate in INVEST IN WOMEN x PITTSBURGH. Each receives the opportunity to connect with leaders across industries, hear critical feedback on how to grow their businesses, and pitch for investments from Chloe Capital and the Firm’s community of impact investors. By the end of the program, Chloe Capital will make at least one investment in a company located in, or willing to relocate to, Allegheny or Westmoreland counties. 

Investors and community members are invited to the Founder Showcase, which will take place April 27, 2022 at 5 p.m. (et) at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater, located at 5941 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA. 

Space is limited. RSVP > InvestInWomenPittsburgh.eventbrite.com

In addition to Chloe Capital, featured investors for INVEST IN WOMEN x PITTSBURGH include Sylvia Mah (Stella Impact Capital), Gabriela Isturiz (The Fund XX), Brandon Greer (Hubspot Ventures), Matt Harbaugh (Mountain State Capital), and Lu Zhang (Fusion Fund). 

“Each investor has joined our Movement to Invest In Women by meeting the founders and exploring the investment potential of each company,” said Chloe Capital co-founder and partner, Kathryn Cartini. “On average, participants in a Chloe Capital program each go on to raise $2,000,000 within the year, catalyzed by visibility and introductions to our firm’s world-wide network.”

The founders selected to participate in INVEST IN WOMEN x PITTSBURGH are:

ALISON ALVAREZ

CEO & Co-Founder, BlastPoint

BlastPoint.com

Allegheny County, Pittsburgh, PA

BlastPoint builds AI platforms for highly regulated industries so that they can better understand their customers and how to talk to them.

HOLLY ADAMS

CEO, Go Well Benefits

GoWellBenefits.com

Philadelphia County, Philadelphia, PA

Go Well Benefits makes health insurance enrollment and underwriting faster and easier with an end-to-end solution that links employee, employer, broker and insurance carrier.  

NEHAL BHOJAK

President & CEO, Lumis Corp.

LumisCorp.com

Allegheny County, Pittsburgh, PA

Lumis is committed to democratizing healthcare education,  and disrupting traditional clinical training through its immersive AR-based platform.

JJ XU

CEO, TalkMeUp

TalkMeUp.co

Allegheny County, Pittsburgh, PA

TalkMeUp uses AI to aid workforce communication development at the enterprise level. Employees use their mobile devices. Managers get measurable insights.

LAUREN GOLMBIEWSKI

CEO & Co-Founder, Voxable

Voxable.io

Westmoreland County, New Kensington, PA
Voxable helps enterprise teams create and manage AI experiences at scale by automating conversational content creation, and streamlining collaboration.

“Each year Ascender impacts hundreds of entrepreneurs across many industries,” said Nadyli Nuñez, executive director at Ascender. “Now with the help of Chloe Capital and the Richard King Mellon Foundation we’re highlighting some of our region’s top performing, technology companies, that are also women-led. The talent is impressive.” 

On top of hearing from the founders, INVEST IN WOMEN x PITTSBURGH will feature speaker Gabriella Gonzalez, program officer from the Richard King Mellon Foundation. Gonzalez is a senior thought leader in the future of work, workforce development, and economic development.

SaLisa Berrien, trustee and graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, and founder of COI Energy, will also share insight on being a Chloe Capital portfolio company. Berrien participated in INVEST IN WOMEN x CLIMATETECH in October 2021. She received a Chloe Capital investment following that program. Berrien has over 25 years of experience in the energy industry assisting clients with process improvements, energy efficiency, grid reliability, clean technology, and big data analytics.

Economic development has been a primary focus of the Richard King Mellon Foundation since its founding, and the Foundation’s new Strategic Plan includes a specific focus on entrepreneurship, as an essential pillar of its economic-development efforts. The Foundation’s plan notes that “small businesses are the backbone of our economy,” and the “Foundation’s investments aim to support efforts to allow entrepreneurship to thrive, to build the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, and to support efforts for under-represented groups to jumpstart or grow entrepreneurship efforts.” The Foundation’s funding of Chloe Capital’s “Invest in Women x Pittsburgh” initiative fits squarely within that plan.

Investors and community members are invited to the Founder Showcase, which will take place April 27, 2022 at 5 p.m. (et) at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater in Pittsburgh. 

Space is limited. RSVP > InvestInWomenPittsburgh.eventbrite.com

Contact

Kathryn Cartini

Partner, Chloe Capital

kathryn@chloecapital.com 

***

About Chloe Capital

Chloe Capital is a venture capital firm that invests in women-led technology companies. In addition to investing with a gender and diversity lens, Chloe Capital partners with universities, foundations and corporations to host programs that help catalyze fundraising efforts for underrepresented founders. This collaborative approach to early stage investing has resulted in millions raised. Today, More than 20,000 people around the world have joined Chloe Capital’s Movement to #InvestInWomen. ChloeCapital.com 

About Ascender

About Ascender: Ascender, a 501(c)3 and vibrant community of innovators located in East Liberty, helps entrepreneurs start and build their companies by offering educational programming, mentorship, expert coaching, incubation, and a collaborative coworking space. Annually Ascender touches 500 entrepreneurs across many industries and works with both venture track and small businesses. Ascenderpgh.com 

About the Richard King Mellon Foundation

Founded in 1947, the Richard King Mellon Foundation is the largest foundation in Southwestern Pennsylvania, and one of the 50 largest in the world. The Foundation’s 2020 year-end endowment was $3.1 billion, and its Trustees in 2021 disbursed $152 million in grants and Program Related Investments. The Foundation launched a new ten-year Strategic plan in 2021, focusing funding on six primary program areas: conversation, economic development, economic mobility, health and well-being, organizational effectiveness, and social-impact investing. RKMF.org

Five Pittsburgh-area Founders Pitch for Investments2023-01-25T16:02:10+00:00

Chloe Capital, Mark Cuban and former Oculus CEO invest in VNTANA

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–VNTANA, the industry leader in 3D Content Management Software (CMS), today announces its latest round of funding, which will be used to scale and continue recruitment of the top talent across the organization. The oversubscribed round included participation by notable investors including Mark Cuban, Brendan Iribe (Co-Founder of Oculus), Tom Dolan, Anorak Ventures, Flexport, Chloe Capital and Mana Ventures. With this raise, VNTANA will continue its advancement of the production, sharing and management of 3D models and augmented reality (AR).

VNTANA makes 3D eCommerce fast and easy at scale, which has proven to double conversion rates and increase cart size by 60%. The company’s patented optimization algorithms allow brands such as Deckers Brands, Staud and Diesel to use their existing 3D designs to instantly create high-fidelity, fast-loading 3D assets that are automatically optimized for use across web, social media, advertising, game-engines and the metaverse. VNTANA makes it easy for brands across fashion, footwear, furniture, tools, sporting goods, and more to share and embed 3D and AR for sales and marketing use.

“As the world continues to shift to 3D, the need for specialized software to ingest, store, organize, render and collaborate on content represents an enormous opportunity,” notes Greg Castle, Anorak Ventures. “VNTANA has created the most robust system to solve these problems and I’m incredibly excited to support them on their journey.”

VNTANA recently signed strategic partnerships with PTC and Joor which serve as catalysts to expand the team to scale and support these agreements. With these partnerships, VNTANA will offer its suite of products, including 3D CMS, 3D eCommerce, and 3D optimization, making 3D and AR assets accessible and manageable for a variety of retailers within their existing software tools. VNTANA’s headless architecture allows other platforms to quickly upgrade to 3D.

“This latest round of funding propels us into the next phase of VNTANA and we are thrilled to work with these notable investors,” says Ashley Crowder, co-founder and CEO of VNTANA. “From working with Mark Cuban to female-led Chloe Capital, we are in fantastic company with a team that has deep experience in gaming and eCommerce. These new investments also provide us with a strong foundation from which we can more aggressively execute on a number of new industry partnerships that offer us new channels to connect with brands who are looking to add 3D and AR to their eCommerce and advertising mix.”

Retailers are increasingly seeing the benefits of offering 3D and AR eCommerce, as it has proven to increase conversion rates and sales. In addition, 71% of consumers said they would shop more often if they used AR because the technology boosts confidence in buying decisions, which in turn increases customer satisfaction and loyalty. As more companies seek to add these capabilities to their eCommerce experience, VNTANA equips these retailers with the technology they need to make it a seamless experience. For more information, visit www.VNTANA.com.

About VNTANA

VNTANA is a SaaS platform that makes 3D eCommerce fast and easy at scale which has proven to double conversion rates and increase cart size by 60%. The patented optimization algorithms in VNTANA’s 3D CMS allow brands like Hugo Boss, Deckers Brands, and Diesel to use their existing 3D models to instantly create high-fidelity, fast-loading 3D assets that are automatically optimized for use across the web, social media, advertising, game-engines and more. Just like Vimeo and YouTube made it easy to share and embed video, VNTANA makes it easy for brands across fashion, footwear, furniture, tools, and more to share and embed 3D and AR for sales and marketing use.

Chloe Capital, Mark Cuban and former Oculus CEO invest in VNTANA2023-01-25T16:02:49+00:00

Chloe Capital Brings Invest In Women Tour to Pittsburgh

Invest In Women x Pittsburgh is a partnership between Chloe Capital and Ascender, and supported by the Richard King Mellon Foundation, to help move capital to underrepresented founders in the Pittsburgh area. 

[RELEASE] December 2, 2021 – Pittsburgh, PA – Chloe Capital, a Movement-driven venture capital firm, along with Ascender, a nonprofit incubator for Pittsburgh’s entrepreneurs, with support from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, will host Invest In Women x Pittsburgh (chloecapital.com/pittsburgh) this Spring. 

An initiative for underrepresented entrepreneurs in the Pittsburgh area, Invest In Women x Pittsburgh is designed to support women-led technology companies tackling real-world problems in the financial, health, workplace, education and climate sectors. Chloe Capital, Ascender and the Richard King Mellon Foundation are partnering to create a collaborative and inclusive fundraising experience through a series of online events leading up to a 48-hour in-person program in Pittsburgh in April, 2022. The program will feature a Founder Showcase, which will be open to the public. 

“We’re committed to addressing inequality, quality of life and economic development in Pittsburgh, and we’re ready to showcase our region’s talent, resources and opportunities with Chloe Capital’s global network,” said Nadyli Nuñez, Executive Director at Ascender. “Invest In Women x Pittsburgh is a win for underrepresented founders, investors around the world, and our community.” 

“Leaders of community-focused organizations and foundations like Ascender and the Richard King Mellon Foundation are a driving force behind innovation in Pittsburgh. We’re excited to collaborate on an initiative that fuels the global expansion of underrepresented founders by moving capital to women in Pittsburgh,” said Myneco Ramirez, Chloe Capital Chief Experience Officer. “With the face of venture capital and entrepreneurship changing, this collaboration is a great example of how the public and private sectors can work together to do well by doing good.”

The virtual events include information and recruiting sessions, along with workshops led by top coaches in productivity, diversity and inclusion, finance and more. Participants will receive knowledge and skills to innovate globally while operating in the Pittsburgh area. Five high-growth technology companies with women executives will then be selected to participate in a 48-hour, in-person fundraising experience designed to connect underrepresented founders to investors and other industry leaders as part of Chloe Capital’s growing Movement to Invest In Women.

By the end of the program, Chloe Capital will make at least one investment in a company located in, or willing to relocate to, Allegheny or Westmoreland counties. On average, participants in a Chloe Capital program each go on to raise $2,000,000 within a year, catalyzed by visibility and introductions to the firm’s world-wide network. 

This partnership with Chloe Capital and Ascender on the Invest In Women x Pittsburgh program will generate meaningful opportunities for women entrepreneurs in the Pittsburgh region to connect with investors, and with people and resources across our region to accelerate their growth,” said Sam Reiman, director of the Richard King Mellon Foundation.

Activities for Invest In Women x Pittsburgh are as follows:

    • Applications Open: November 1, 2021
      Seed to Series A women-led technology companies seeking funding apply here: ChloeCapital.com/funding
    • Online Information Session: January 19, 2022 (open invite)
    • Online Information Session: February, 2022 (open invite)
    • Online & In-person Information Session: March, 2022 (invitation only)
  • Applications Close: February 11, 2022
  • In-person Fundraising Experience: April, 2022 (invitation only)
  • Founder Showcase: April, 2022 (open invite; space is limited)

Contact
Kathryn Cartini
Partner, Chloe Capital
kathryn@chloecapital.com

***

About Chloe Capital
Chloe Capital is a venture capital firm that invests in women-led technology companies. In addition to investing with a gender and diversity lens, Chloe Capital partners with universities, foundations and corporations to host programs that help catalyze fundraising efforts for underrepresented founders. This collaborative approach to early stage investing has resulted in millions raised. Today, More than 20,000 people around the world have joined Chloe Capital’s Movement to #InvestInWomen. ChloeCapital.com 

About Ascender
About Ascender: Ascender, a 501(c)3 and vibrant community of innovators located in East Liberty, helps entrepreneurs start and build their companies by offering educational programming, mentorship, expert coaching, incubation, and a collaborative coworking space. Annually Ascender touches 500 entrepreneurs across many industries and works with both venture track and small businesses. Ascenderpgh.com 

About the Richard King Mellon Foundation
Founded in 1947, the Richard King Mellon Foundation is the largest foundation in Southwestern Pennsylvania, and one of the 50 largest in the world. The Foundation’s 2020 year-end endowment was $3.1 billion, and its Trustees in 2020 disbursed $130 million in grants and Program Related Investments. The Foundation focuses its funding on six primary program areas, delineated in its 2021-2030 Strategic Plan. RKMF.org

Chloe Capital Brings Invest In Women Tour to Pittsburgh2022-01-11T21:16:37+00:00

Women Entrepreneurs Receive Venture Capital Funding to Address Climate Crisis

Diversity In ClimateTech is a new program in partnership with Chloe Capital and Cornell University, and supported by the NYS Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA). 

[RELEASE] Nov. 23, 2021 – New York, NY – Chloe Capital and Cornell University are helping climate tech innovators launch and advance solutions to the world’s climate crisis. During the recent Diversity In ClimateTech (https://chloecapital.com/climatetech) business accelerator, five women-led climate tech companies were selected, based on their potential impact, to pitch and secure business deals.

The accelerator, which convened in Ithaca, NY, was designed to connect the women entrepreneurs with investors. Over $500,000 in investments were offered by Chloe Capital to select underrepresented female founders who are projected to be leaders in the growing sustainable and clean technology industries.

“Something interesting we noticed when we were screening applicants for this program was the market trends. For one, the program applicants are raising more funds, and two, they’re generating more sales,” said Kathryn Cartini, Chloe Capital co-founder and partner. “These metrics indicate that diverse founders in the climate tech sector are being recognized by investors as, what we like to call, ‘high-quality deal flow’. Out of 300+ applicants that met the program criteria, the five finalists selected were ones that showed both experience and early success in the niche market where their solution is needed,” added Cartini.

Dorrit Lowsen, Co-founder of Change Finance, a company that produces performance-oriented investment products that seek to promote a more just and sustainable world, was a recipient of a $250,000 investment.

Lowsen understands first-hand the pressure to quickly address climate and clean energy technologies as she was a member of the domestic energy and environmental policy committee in Beijing during the preparation for the Paris Climate Agreement. Lowsen shared, “We believe investing for good can profit people, planet, and investors–and that idea permeates our culture from the rigorous, rules-based methodology that underpins our investment products, to the intentionality we bring to our shareholder advocacy.”

Additionally, SaLisa Berrien, Founder and CEO, COI Energy was recognized with a $200,000 investment. Berrien has more than two decades of energy experience focused on energy efficiency, smart grid optimization, and big data analytics. She describes herself as, “a climate tech professional that is passionate about leaving the space she occupies better than she found it.” Berrien explains that, “COI Energy is changing the face of energy with its digital energy management that detects and eliminates energy waste in buildings and repurposes that waste for good. We use machine learning and artificial intelligence to predict energy behaviors and make corrections to avoid waste.”

Diversity In ClimateTech launched in early 2021, recruits, educates, inspires and supports the growth of companies led by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and women founders on the forefront of climate tech innovation. Founders with innovations that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, support the decarbonization of the economy, and broadly reduce energy consumption were recruited to participate in the accelerator.

“Through the Diversity in ClimateTech program, together, we aim to help create a more diverse and inclusive environment for women founders who are changing the world through climate tech,” said Elisa Miller-Out, Chloe Capital co-founder and managing partner.

Chloe Capital and Cornell University manage the Diversity in ClimateTech program with support from New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Through this partnership, founders at the idea or pre-seed stage also receive support for their companies and are provided with an array of resources in New York’s clean energy ecosystem within the Southern Tier, to help them progress.

“The Diversity in ClimateTech business accelerator and fundraising program is helping to fuel the continued growth of the climate tech industry in New York’s Southern Tier,” said Katie MacDonald, NYSERDA’s Director, Technology to Market. “Congratulations to all of these companies that are bringing diverse entrepreneurial ideas to the region, where they can take advantage of New York State’s unmatched clean energy assets and infrastructure.”

***

Contact
Kathryn Cartini
Partner, Chloe Capital
kathryn@chloecapital.com
978-225-3288

About Chloe Capital
Chloe Capital is a venture capital firm that invests in women-led technology companies. In addition to investing with a gender and diversity lens, Chloe Capital partners with universities, foundations and corporations to host programs that help catalyze fundraising efforts for underrepresented founders. This collaborative approach to early-stage investing is what makes the firm so unique. More than 15,000 people around the world have already joined Chloe Capital’s Movement to #InvestInWomen. ChloeCapital.com

About Cornell’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement
Cornell’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement (CREA) fuels economic growth and diversity in Upstate New York through entrepreneurship and innovation. CREA is focused on making a measurable impact by supporting and managing a portfolio of over a dozen programs, including Rev: Ithaca Startup Works, Rev’s Hardware Accelerators, Grow-NY, UNY I-Corps, Cleantech Hardware Scaleup, and many Cornell-facing startup accelerators and fellowships. CREA.Cornell.edu

Women Entrepreneurs Receive Venture Capital Funding to Address Climate Crisis2022-01-11T21:16:37+00:00

Five Women Selected for New Diversity In ClimateTech Program

Diversity In ClimateTech is powered by Chloe Capital and Cornell University, and supported by NYSERDA, to assist BIPOC and women-led companies tackling the world’s climate crisis.

[RELEASE] SEPTEMBER 16, 2021 – New York, NY – Chloe Capital is excited to announce the five women-led climate technology companies that will join us in Ithaca, NY on October 5-6, 2021 for a 48-hour fundraising experience. 

Chloe Capital and Cornell’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement (CREA) with support from New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) have set out to combine their expertise and resources, resulting in a new program for founders tackling some of our world’s most critical challenges. 

Diversity In ClimateTech aims to recruit, educate, inspire and support the growth of companies led by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and women founders on the forefront of clean energy innovations. 

Diversity In ClimateTech includes activities for founders and investors, including a Showcase where founders pitch for investments. At least one founder will receive a Chloe Capital investment of up to $250,000. A panel of potential co-investors representing Armory Square Ventures, Include Venture Partners, The New York Angels,  Aligned Climate Capital and the Clean Energy Ventures will also be on hand to explore the deals. On average, participants in a Chloe Capital program raise $1.5MM.

Chloe Capital’s impact investing initiatives empower other investors to take action. Our goal is to collaborate. As a united front, we can best position founders to achieve success and deliver  healthy returns on investments. During our programs, we like to watch the founders in action, and introduce them to a large community of supporters who are ready to help with both funding and resources,” said Kathryn Cartini, Chloe Capital co-founder and partner. 

Here are the women chosen out of 300 applicants worldwide to participate in Diversity In ClimateTech:

1.

Dorrit Lowsen
President & Co-Founder, Change Finance
Change-Finance.com
Alexandria, VA

Dorrit Lowsen, Change Finance | Chloe CapitalChange Finance builds performance-oriented investment products that seek to promote a more sustainable world. Transforming capital markets and implementing impact-driven, performance-focused strategies help bring profit to people, planet and investors.

2.

Lisa Altieri
Founder & CEO, BrightAction
BrightAction.com
Palo Alto, CA

Lisa Altieri, BrightAction | Chloe CapitalBrightAction helps companies, organizations and cities to empower their communities on climate change solutions through a collaborative platform using simple, everyday actions to make an impact.  Custom branding, innovative engagement programs, personalized experiences, team and group

3.

Madison Savilow
Founder, Expedition Air
ExpeditionAir.today
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Madison Savilow Founder of Expedition AirExpedition Air was founded on the idea that every product consumers interact with should enable a low carbon future. A spin-out from NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE X-Factor Winner, Carbon Upcycling Technologies, Expedition Air produces advanced solid additives derived from greenhouse emissions and cheaply available solids for use in the consumer products industry.

4.

Martha Montoya
Founder & CEO, Agtools Inc.
Ag.tools
Irvine, CA

Martha Montoya CEO and Founder of AgtoolsAgtools is a worldwide financial intelligence data for the food & agriculture global supply chain offering trusted market official data from around the world, in real-time data for stakeholders to manage market volatility of over 500 commodities at 1 billion transactions per second and avoid CO2/SO2 across their actions.

5.

SaLisa Berrien
Founder & CEO, COI Energy
CoiEnergyServices.com
Tampa, FL / Binghamton, NY / Brooklyn, NY

SaLisa Berrien Founder and CEO of COI EnergyCOI Energy is changing the face of energy with its digital energy management that detects and eliminates energy waste in buildings. COI takes a holistic approach to demand management that includes temporary (emergency curtailments), semi-permanent (peak shaving and load shifting) and permanent (energy efficiency and renewable energy) demand management.

“Cornell’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement (CREA) is proud to participate in this program and help founders extend their company’s impact to the Southern Tier region in New York state. CREA is committed to accelerating the region’s economic growth—focusing on job growth and attracting new businesses,” said Andrea Ippolito, W.E. Cornell program director. 

In addition to the Founder Showcase, Diversity in ClimateTech will also feature New York Times best-selling author, journalist, women’s-advocacy leader Gretchen Carlson. Carlson recently co-founded Lift Our Voices, a non-profit organization with a mission to expose the struggles of female harassment victims. 

GRAMMY award-winning singer-songwriter and Native American, Joanne Shenandoah, will share a special musical performance. Shenandoah is described as a “cross-cultural and multi-genre artist known for her beautiful vocals and insightful lyrics that nurture the spirit.” Shenandoah has also been recognized as an ambassador of peace, human and earth rights. 

Katie MacDonald, NYSERDA’s Director, Technology to Market said, “We are working together as a community to solve the toughest climate challenges faced across the Southern Tier and New York State while advancing clean energy to enable climate impact. Diversity In ClimateTech allows us to support leading founders at the helm of some of the most promising, cutting-edge innovations and companies.”

Due to Covid restrictions, Diversity in ClimateTech is only open to a select number of founders, investors and community members. If you’re a member of the press, please use the contact information below to connect. All others around the globe can still take part in the experience, which will be broadcasted on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 at 4pm EST.  Register for free > diversityinclimatetechshow.eventbrite.com

Contact
Kathryn Cartini
Partner, Chloe Capital
kathryn@chloecapital.com 

***

About Chloe Capital
Chloe Capital is a  venture capital firm that invests in women-led technology companies. In addition to investing with a gender and diversity lens, Chloe Capital partners with universities, foundations and corporations to host programs that help catalyze fundraising efforts for underrepresented founders. This collaborative approach to early stage investing is what makes the firm so unique. More than 15,000 people around the world have already joined Chloe Capital’s Movement to #InvestInWomen. ChloeCapital.com 

About CREA
Cornell’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement (CREA) fuels economic growth and diversity in Upstate New York through entrepreneurship and innovation. CREA is focused on making a measurable impact by supporting and managing a portfolio of over a dozen programs, including Rev: Ithaca Startup Works, Rev’s Hardware Accelerators, Grow-NY, UNY I-Corps, Cleantech Hardware Scaleup, and many Cornell-facing startup accelerators and fellowships. CREA.Cornell.edu

Five Women Selected for New Diversity In ClimateTech Program2022-01-11T21:16:37+00:00

Next Wave Impact Reveals Finalists for 2021 Founders of Color Showcase

GLENWOOD SPRINGS, Colo., April 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — After receiving nearly 50 nominations for its second annual Founders of Color Showcase, global impact investor syndicate Next Wave Impact has selected six finalists who will pitch their companies to an audience of investors, funds and angel groups on May 3, 2021. All founders of color, this year’s innovative startup leaders tackle 10 of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, and represent a range of industries including healthcare, education, environment, consumer and cleantech.

Next Wave Impact Reveals Finalists for 2021 Founders of Color Showcase2022-01-11T21:16:38+00:00

Diversity in ClimateTech program to support diverse founders leading clean tech startups

Newswise — ITHACA, N.Y. – Cornell University and Chloe Capital launched Diversity in ClimateTech, a new program to recruit, educate, inspire, and support capitalization in Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and women founders developing startups with clean tech innovations.

Diversity in ClimateTech program to support diverse founders leading clean tech startups2021-04-21T23:52:08+00:00

Decrease the Gender Gap in Entrepreneurship with a Donor Advised Fund

Receive a Tax Deduction in 2020 by Creating a Donor Advised Fund Before December 31

For Immediate Release

New York (November 24, 2020 ) — No longer is investing in privately-owned companies reserved for the wealthy. Now, anyone, anywhere can harness philanthropic capital to make an investment in Chloe Capital’s impact fund, which is dedicated to investing in women-led companies with diverse leadership teams > ChloeCapital.com/DAF

Chloe Capital will now accept contributions from individuals, families and foundations who create a Donor Advised Fund with ImpactAssets. All investments under this model are considered irrevocable and tax-deductible contributions. 

Despite recent progress, the U.S. VC Female Founders Dashboard by Pitchbook still shows that less than 2 percent of venture capital in the U.S. goes to female founders. Further reports reveal that African American female founders receive just .2 percent of U.S. funding. 

“The lack of funding to female founders is baffling, especially when study after study shows that women-led companies generate more sales, exit faster and produce greater returns for investors,” said Chloe Capital co-founder and partner Kathryn Cartini. “Chloe Capital’s new approach to investing allows anyone to do well by doing good. No longer is investing in startups reserved for the 1 percent!” 

ImpactAssets is a Donor Advised Fund sponsor, and the leading impact investing partner for philanthropists who take on the world’s greatest challenges by investing in the world’s brightest ideas. Custom Investments, available through the ImpactAssets Donor Advised Fund, offer a personalized impact investing experience. Donors can directly invest into Chloe Capital’s impact fund and leave the complexities of handling investment execution, custody, monitoring and servicing issues to ImpactAssets.

“This exciting opportunity provides donors with various benefits including tax advantages, and a way to maximize their charitable contributions. Returns from Chloe Capital can either be reinvested into our impact fund, or recycled for future granting into other charitable causes,” said Elisa Miller-Out, Chloe Capital co-founder and managing partner.  

Contributions can be accepted all year-round. To receive a tax deduction in 2020, custom investments must be made prior to December 31. Donors will also be able to track their investment online through ImpactAssets’ Donor Portal. 

#InvestInWomen > ChloeCapital.com/Contact

***

Contact
Kathryn Cartini
Chloe Capital
kathryn@chloecapital.com
(978) 225-3288

 

About Chloe Capital_______________
Chloe Capital is a Movement-driven venture capital firm that invests in women-led technology companies with diverse leadership teams. In addition to investing with a gender and diversity lens, Chloe Capital partners with foundations, institutions and corporations to host programs that help catalyze fundraising efforts for female founders. This collaborative approach to early stage investing is what makes the firm so unique. More than 15,000 people around the world have already joined Chloe Capital’s Movement to #InvestInWomen.
ChloeCapital.com

 

Disclaimer_______________
Chloe Capital is not affiliated, endorsed by or in any way officially connected to ImpactAssets Inc.  A contribution to an ImpactAssets Donor Advised Fund represents an irrevocable contribution to ImpactAssets.  Contributions are eligible for a tax-deduction subject to the donor’s individual tax circumstances, are not refundable, become subject to ImpactAssets control and discretion once made, and shall not be deemed a separate trust fund held by ImpactAssets in a trustee capacity.  There are a number of factors to consider when assessing the tax implication of gifts to charity.  Individuals should consult with a tax specialist before making any charitable donations.

 

Decrease the Gender Gap in Entrepreneurship with a Donor Advised Fund2023-01-25T15:56:00+00:00

$1.25 Million Invested In Female Founders In Just Six Months

Female Founders Rise Up During COVID-19

ECMC Foundation and Chloe Capital deploy $1.25 Million in capital
to female founders over six months

 

NEW YORK, NY  – In partnership with ECMC Foundation, Chloe Capital’s Invest in Women Tour has successfully rallied the masses once again in support of women defining the Future of Work & Education. In the last six months, ECMC Foundation and Chloe Capital have deployed over $1.25 million to female founders around the world. 

Jessica Haselton, ECMC Foundation director of program-related investments, reports, “The impact we’ve made for women entrepreneurs has been phenomenal. I’m thrilled to be a part of this effort to make venture capital accessible to often overlooked communities and founders.” In addition, ECMC Foundation has provided ~$2M in rapid response grants to organizations affected by the pandemic and has helped catalyze another ~$4M in grants to provide emergency aid to college students in crisis.

With only two percent of all venture capital going to female founders, the need to unite investors, entrepreneurs, and community members to Invest in Women did not stop at the onset of the pandemic. The decision to create a virtual experience became concrete as government leaders began issuing stay-at-home orders.  

Kathryn Cartini, Chloe Capital partner explains, “We traveled to Los Angeles in December, made a stop in New Orleans in February, and we were just about to take off for Charlotte when the pandemic hit. While we were saddened, this is no time to let funding for women fall to the wayside. Instead, we converted our program online, and more than 600 people from around the world joined us. That’s the Movement in action.”

After reviewing each company’s investment potential in the months leading up to the program, five founders were selected to participate in the 24-hour virtual experience, designed to connect female founders with active investors. Each Chloe Capital program ends with a “Shark Tank”-style pitch event. Community members are invited to join the Movement to Invest In Women by sharing resources and connections.

Janna Westbrook, co-founder and CEO of Provider Pool, recently received a portion of the $1.25M in investment opportunities from both Chloe Capital and ECMC Foundation. Westbrook gave the opening remarks during the virtual program, providing inspiration to all. Provider Pool works on the frontlines against COVID-19 by connecting healthcare organizations to nurses. “Work and the workforce are changing right now before our eyes. This is an opportune time to focus on education in the workforce. To the founders, pitch your company from a place of victory, understanding that you’ve already won. And good luck.” 

At a time when companies like Provider Pool are responding to urgent needs created by the COVID-19 crisis, funding opportunities for women entrepreneurs will help scale needed solutions to meet new demands. 

Elisa Miller-Out, Chloe Capital managing partner shares why investing in women makes sense for investors, especially now. “Women leaders are used to overcoming bias, they’re over-prepared, and often held to a higher standard than male founders. In these difficult times, we’re seeing the women of the Chloe Capital portfolio rise up and lead the way forward through crisis.”

The five founders selected to participate in our virtual program are shining examples of this. Each has seen an incredible increase in demand for their solutions to some of the most urgent Workforce and Education needs in the world today, including childcare and student retention. 

Congratulations to BridgeCare’s Jamee Herbert, CEO and co-founder, and JC Kirst, CTO and co-founder, who received a $100,000 investment from Chloe Capital. BridgeCare makes it easy for working parents to find and afford the quality child care that every family deserves.

ECMC Foundation welcomes EdSights co-founders and sisters, Claudia and Carolina Recchi to its portfolio with a $150,000 investment opportunity. EdSights, a conversational AI to solve the college dropout crisis, produces some of the most profound retention outcomes in the student success space. 

Paul Singh, ECMC board member and Rezon8 Capital managing director, also extended an impact investment of $25,000 to Amanda DoAmaral, founder and CEO of Fiveable. Fiveable is a social learning platform for students and teachers to collaborate through live streams, live trivia, and interactive community threads. A crowd favorite, Fiveable is currently focused on AP exam prep.

In addition to Singh, several investors provided valued feedback and connection including: Deborah Quazzo, GSV Ventures; Del Johnson, Indie.vc; Elizabeth Garlow, Lumina Impact Ventures; Anne Kennedy, Outlines Venture Group / Mastersfund; and Marissa Lowman, Village Capital.

View all founders, investor panelists, and speakers who participated in the Movement’s first-ever virtual experience at ChloeCapital.com/Virtual.

***

Contact:
Kathryn Cartini
Chloe Capital
kathryn@chloecapital.com  
(978) 225-3288

About ECMC Foundation___________
ECMC Foundation is a Los Angeles-based, nationally focused foundation whose mission is to inspire and facilitate improvements that affect educational outcomes—especially among underserved populations—through evidence-based innovation. It is one of several affiliates under the ECMC Group enterprise based in Minneapolis. ECMC Foundation makes investments in two focus areas: College Success and Career Readiness; and uses a spectrum of funding structures, including strategic grantmaking and program-related investments, to invest in both nonprofit and for-profit ventures. Working with grantees, partners and peers, ECMC Foundation’s vision is for all learners to unlock their fullest potential. ECMCFoundation.org

About Chloe Capital_______________
In 2017, Chloe Capital set out to #InvestInWomen. Today, the New York-based VC firm is being recognized as a Movement that empowers 10,000 supporters, investors and women-led innovation companies. The firm partners with foundations, universities and corporations to host fundraising programs for women entrepreneurs in cities across the U.S. The Chloe Capital Fund makes investments in the most promising women-led companies in their network. ChloeCapital.com

$1.25 Million Invested In Female Founders In Just Six Months2023-01-25T15:56:02+00:00

New Virtual Program for Female Founders Driving Workforce and Education Solutions

Chloe Capital and ECMC Foundation announce a virtual program for women driving workforce and education solutions; Up to $250,000 in funding announced on May 19, 6PM ET. 

 

For Immediate Release

New York, NY (April 28, 2020 )— Chloe Capital, a venture capital firm that invests in women-led innovation companies, will launch a new virtual program for women entrepreneurs. The virtual program will run in partnership with ECMC Foundation, a nationally focused foundation that helps advance solutions in postsecondary education. This program marks the third collaboration between ECMC Foundation and Chloe Capital. Together, the organizations will deploy a total of $1.25 Million in funding to women leading the Future of Work & Education over six months. 

This new virtual program will continue to focus on the next generation of workforce and edtech solutions, and all of the companies selected to participate in the program have diverse leadership teams. The program will run similar to other Chloe Capital signature programs, but will operate virtually, allowing for the founders, investors and speakers to participate without traveling to a physical location during the 24-hour program. Onsite participation was a former necessity as these engagements are part of Chloe Capital’s unique due diligence process, and a proven way to connect founders with more investors and resources, such as ECMC Foundation. Participants will now join the experience through a heavily digital experience to include a virtual dinner, workshop and pitch event. During these online events, founders will work together, connect one-on-one with dozens of investors and build new relationships with industry experts. 

“This is an important opportunity for ECMC Foundation to continue investing in women-led innovation,” said Jessica Haselton, Director of Program-related Investments at ECMC Foundation. “With many venture capital funds and foundations winding down funding during this pandemic, we feel compelled to invest in the thought leaders and changemakers who are building the types of solutions we need most in education today.” 

“Chloe Capital is proud to build on the successful programs we’ve created with ECMC Foundation, University of Denver, New York State’s Empire State Development and other foundations, institutions and corporations,” said Elisa Miller-Out, Co-founder and Managing Partner at Chloe Capital. “Women are natural innovators, and we’re seeing more female founders and supporters Rise Up during the uncertainty.” 

The Future of Work & Education program co-hosted by ECMC Foundation and Chloe Capital will be held via Zoom in May 2020. Those who believe in our Movement to #InvestInWomen are invited to join us for a public pitch event on May 19 starting promptly at 6:00 p.m. ET. 

RSVP here: InvestInWomen-CLT.eventbrite.com 

Prior to the public pitch event, five founders will participate in a virtual dinner and workshop with dozens of investors including Elisabeth Garlow, Lumina Impact Ventures; Del Johnson, Backstage Capital, Anne Kennedy, Mastersfund; Marissa Lowman, Village Capital; Deborah Quazzo, GSV Ventures; and K. Paul Singh, Rezon8 Capital. Both founders and investors will also learn from productivity expert Mackenzie Sweeney and Diversity & Inclusion Specialist Mallory Whitfield, as well as Janna Westbrook, co-founder and CEO of Provider Pool. 

“Janna received investments from both Chloe Capital and ECMC Foundation during our program in New Orleans,” said Kathryn Cartini, co-founder and Partner at Chloe Capital. “Provider Pool is a staffing platform that connects healthcare professionals to facilities. Janna is among the talented founders who are Rising Up during the pandemic to help on the front line of the crisis.”  

Here are the female founders selected to participate in our first ever VIRTUAL experience :

CAROLYN BICKERS
Co-founder / Partnership Development
Beagle Learning
Boston, MA
BeagleLearning.com

Beagle Learning helps students succeed by combining inquiry-based learning and artificial intelligence into plug-and-play exercises that fit any classroom–boosting student performance +18% and engagement +50%. 

…

JAMEE HERBERT
Co-founder / CEO
BridgeCare
San Francisco, CA
GetBridgeCare.com

BridgeCare works with employers and governments to help working parents find and afford quality childcare, including daycare, preschool, before and after school programs, and summer camps. 

…

CLAUDIA RECCHI
Co-founder / CEO
EdSights
New York, NY
EdSights.io

EdSights uses conversational AI to solve the college dropout crisis. The bot (named after colleges’ mascots) helps support tens of thousands of students across 25+ college campuses every day.

…

AMANDA DoAMARAL
Founder / CEO
Fiveable
Milwaukee, WI
Fiveable.me

Fiveable is a social learning platform for students and teachers to collaborate through live streams, live trivia, and interactive community threads. It’s the go-to platform making remote learning fun and collaborative. 

…

SHERI SMITH
Co-founder / CEO
Indigo Education Company
Boulder, CO
IndigoProject.org

Indigo is an AI-enabled platform that increases student success, retention, social emotional health and career readiness in higher education — providing 1:1 personalized guidance for both learners and educators. 

Learn More: ChloeCapital.com

As part of our Movement to Invest in Women, Chloe Capital and ECMC Foundation will continue to  drive business for these founders after the investments by tapping into our national networks of talent, investors and community leaders. Companies including HubSpot for Startups, Google for Startups, TriNet, and more are already paying it forward to support our female founders with free and discount professional services. 

Please join our Movement to Invest In Women by helping to spread the word about this new virtual experience for women entrepreneurs.

RSVP here: InvestInWomen-CLT.eventbrite.com 

…

Contact
Kathryn Cartini
Chloe Capital
kathryn@chloecapital.com
(978) 225-3288

 

About ECMC Foundation___________

ECMC Foundation is a Los Angeles-based, nationally focused foundation whose mission is to inspire and facilitate improvements that affect educational outcomes—especially among underserved populations—through evidence-based innovation. It is one of several affiliates under the ECMC Group enterprise based in Minneapolis. ECMC Foundation makes investments in two focus areas: College Success and Career Readiness; and uses a spectrum of funding structures, including strategic grantmaking and program-related investments, to invest in both nonprofit and for-profit ventures. Working with grantees, partners and peers, ECMC Foundation’s vision is for all learners to unlock their fullest potential. ECMCFoundation.org

 

About Chloe Capital_______________

Chloe Capital is more than a VC firm – we’re a Movement. Despite recent progress, less than 5% of women-led companies receive venture capital in the U.S. Yet companies with women leaders statistically perform better and produce greater returns for investors. In partnership with foundations, universities and corporate innovators, Chloe Capital has set out on a national tour to #InvestInWomen. ChloeCapital.com

New Virtual Program for Female Founders Driving Workforce and Education Solutions2023-01-25T15:57:03+00:00

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