Invest In Women Tour Hits New Orleans; Big Wins for Female Founders
Invest In Women: Future of Work & Education
Chloe Capital and ECMC Foundation move capital to women entrepreneurs and rally the masses in support of their Movement to decrease the gender gap in entrepreneurship and venture capital.
For Immediate Release
New Orleans (Feb. 12, 2020) – After an intense 24-hours of investor networking and pitches, three female founders earn investments from Chloe Capital and ECMC Foundation, plus additional investments, prizes and connections to grow their ventures.
Girls just want to have funds! Chloe Capital is a venture capital firm that travels across the U.S. catalyzing a Movement to decrease the gender gap in entrepreneurship and venture capital. This comes at a time when women-led companies receive less than 3 percent of venture capital, and only .2 percent goes to African American female founders. During the Future of Work & Education program in New Orleans held on February 6, 2020 at The Shop at The CAC, Chloe Capital collaborated with ECMC Foundation to move $275,000 to female founders at the forefront of EdTech.
As part of a trilogy of events, New Orleans is the second stop on the #InvestInWomen Tour to advance solutions in education innovation, college success, career readiness, and workforce transformation. Chloe Capital and ECMC Foundation have joined forces to embed themselves into emerging startup communities like New Orleans, otherwise overlooked by traditional investors.
“It’s an honor to Invest In Women in New Orleans as a native of this beautiful city. It’s a dream come true to be surrounded by family and a community of supporters,” said Elisa Miller-Out, Managing Partner, Chloe Capital. “Our programs are designed to educate the community, and we wholeheartedly enjoyed seeing the audience get inspired by the innovation in the room.”
Selected from over 2000 women-led companies, five female founders were chosen to participate in this special program, which is designed to catalyze fundraising efforts. Congratulations to Janna Westbrook, Founder / CEO of Provider Pool, an online labor marketplace that connects hospitals to nurses for on-demand staffing needs. Janna and co-founder Rodney McGee were offered investment opportunities from both Chloe Capital and ECMC Foundation for a total of $100,000. ECMC Foundation also extended Jennifer Kushshell, Founder / CEO of EYP Ventures a $100,000 investment. Exploring Your Potential ™ is redefining workforce readiness with a multimedia platform for career planning.
“Cheers to another amazing program celebrating the Future of Work & Education,” said Jessica Haselton, Director of Education Innovation Ventures, ECMC Foundation. “ECMC Foundation is excited to co-invest with Chloe Capital on Provider Pool, and provide an additional investment to EYP Ventures. It’s clear we’re stronger together, and the Movement is alive!”
Chloe Capital also allocated a second investment in Beth Porter, Co-founder / CEO of Riff Analytics, an AI platform that uses audio and text data to track behaviors, like bias and dominance, in the workplace. In addition to receiving a $50,000 investment from Chloe Capital, investor panelist Jason Palmer, Partner at New Markets Venture Partners, announced a personal co-investment of $25,000 in Riff Analytics.
“We pride ourselves on being service-oriented investors, extensions of the team with a willingness to assist our portfolio companies on every level,” said Kathryn Cartini, Partner, Chloe Capital. “As part of our Movement to Invest in Women, we tap investor panelists like Jason (Palmer) on the shoulder early in our due diligence process to provide valuable insight on the investment potential of our candidates, and consider inking deals themselves. Jason was so impressed with Beth (Porter) and Riff Analytics, he delighted us with a personal investment on the spot!”
Jean Hammond, General Partner of the LearnLaunch Accelerator; Chloe Capital investor and life-long educator Lee Kaltman; Peter Liu, Vice President of Pritzker Group Venture Capital; Valerie Novakoff, Founder of Broadway Women’s Fund; and Kim Seals, General Partner of The JumpFund also took time out of their busy schedules to help each founder catalyze even more investments.
Guests were also treated to an evening of entertainment and innovation featuring acclaimed jazz singer Charmaine Neville, and local advocate Syrita Steib, Co-founder of Operation Restoration. Each woman shared personal stories about how they turned obstacles into opportunities, and encouraged everyone in the audience to do the same.
View all female founders, investor panelists and speakers who participated in the Movement at ChloeCapital.com/New-Orleans.
The next stop on the Invest In Women Tour is in Charlotte, NC on May 19, 2020. Applications to participate in this program end on February 12, 2020. Apply for funding opportunities at ChloeCapital.com/funding. Female founders do not need to be based in Charlotte, NC to pitch or receive funding.
Media and community members are invited to attend the live pitch portion of the program in Charlotte, NC, which will happen on May 19, 2020. RSVP here: InvestInWomen-CLT.eventbrite.com
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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 approximately 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
Leah Lykins
Beth Porter
Janna Westbrook