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

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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