FemTech

STAT News: One health care startup at a time, this venture capitalist wants to harness the investing power of women

 
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Founder and CEO, Trish Costello, was recently featured in STAT News on her experiences in the male dominated venture capitalist industry and how Portfolia’s redesigned investment platform is activating women’s capital for impact and returns.

“And what I realized is that if we really want to change venture capital, if we really want to enhance the kind of companies that get funded, and if women want specific companies in the world that address their needs, the only way to do that is for women to become the investors,” Costello said.

“Even though I put some of the top women venture capitalists in the business, we didn’t really move the needle. And we still haven’t moved the needle in venture. And what I realized is that if we really want to change venture capital, if we really want to enhance the kind of companies that get funded, and if women want specific companies in the world that address their needs, the only way to do that is for women to become the investors,” Costello said.

“[Women] buy health care and services and products for themselves, their children, their husbands, their sons. … It really doesn’t matter if it’s male or a male or female problem. Women are usually the buyers,” Costello said.

Read the full article here.

Forbes: Meet the Women Investors Supporting Early Women's Health Innovators

 
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"Trish Costello, Portfolia, Making A Bet On Women’s Health The Portfolia FemTech Fund focuses on emerging technologies, products and services improving women’s health throughout their lives. Portfolia is making strategic investments in high-potential opportunities that are both profitable and increase women’s wellbeing.

Trish Costello, CEO of Portfolia, is incredibly motivated to make a difference in this field: “It’s a huge market (50B dollar) with many gaps and unmet needs. It’s a great opportunity to make money, and very few VCs are investing. Also, I want to invest in what I understand from my experience and that I know will improve my life and that of other women.”

Costello finds the menopause, pregnancy and childbirth spaces very interesting, as well as specific healthcare areas where women are impacted differently such as heart disease or pain management, and tends to stay away from the heavily invested areas, such as period tracking apps, most of which originally were founded and run by men.

Women are dying during labor, we have incredibly high C-section rates. There are huge opportunities for innovation addressing early detection of pre-clampsia, avoiding stress and postpartum depression, among other issues. In menopause, I’m excited about companies tackling everything from bladder issues to vaginal rejuvenation,” says Costello.

Costello insists that the biggest problem for femtech founders is that 94% of active capital is controlled by men: “They don’t always connect to the issues, and knowing the field is key as an investor. We need more women investors. As a founder, you should know the financial model behind your solution, find the right advisors, and approach investors with a track record in the space -don’t waste time with those that never invested in women or the space.”

The modern VC industry was developed at a time when women couldn’t even take out loans on their own. Portfolia is deconstructing how it works and defining what it could look like if it was designed today."

"For more information on how you can make markets by investing in the companies, products and solutions you believe in, sign up to attend one our upcoming FirstStep introductory calls or simply begin by signing up here. "

You can also read the full article here.

MedTech Strategist: Portfolia’s FemTech Fund Activates a New Source of Investors

 
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We are thrilled to be featured in MedTech Strategist in their Venture Capital Section on how Portfolia is activating a new source of investors.

“In focusing on underfunded sectors, particularly women’s health, Portfolia does have the opportunity to shape the healthcare landscape for women by helping innovative companies get the funding they need to get to market.“

Read the article here.

PR Newswire: Silicon Valley's Portfolia Closes First Women's Health Venture Fund

We are beyond excited by the huge growth that Portfolia has had this year and we are deeply grateful for the groundswell of dynamo women who see Portfolia as the answer, the action step and the smartest way to back the companies, the products, and the world they believe in! #FemTech #InvestTogether #MarketMakers Read the full article here.

For more information on how you can make markets by investing in the companies, products and solutions you believe in, sign up to attend one our upcoming FirstStep introductory calls or simply begin by signing up here.

PE Hub: Portfolia's FemTech Fund: Women investing in women's health

It’s rare to see money flow at parties. Even in investment-laden Silicon Valley, potential fund investors don’t normally mingle socially while writing checks to their hosts over cocktails and hors d'oeuvres.

But at an early-September party in Woodside, that’s exactly what happened.

Portfolia Funds, which operates a platform through which accredited individuals can invest in small venture funds, held an invitation-only event at its headquarters, a few miles down the highway from Sand Hill Road.

TechCrunch: Future Family raises $10M to make fertility treatments more affordable

Future Family,  a startup that helps families more easily afford fertility services like IVF and egg freezing, has raised $10 million in a Series A round. This round was led by Aspect Ventures, and backed by iNovia, BBG, Ulu Ventures, LaunchCapital and Portfolia. As part of the deal, Aspect Venture’s Lauren Kolodny will join Future Family’s board of directors.

The Guardian: Digital contraceptives and period trackers: the rise of femtech

Portfolia, a US-based venture platform financed nearly exclusively by female investors, created the world’s first femtech fund in June. The fund is expecting to invest nearly $4m in six top-performing women’s wellness and health startups this year.

Silicon Valley Business Journal: Silicon Valley's Portfolia Launches Nation's First FemTech Fund

Portfolia Funds, innovative venture investing platform, just announced the launch of its sixth fund. The Portfolia FemTech Fund will invest exclusively in emerging technologies, products and services focused on improving women's health and wellness.

Frost and Sullivan recently published a report stating that FemTech will be a $50 billion market by 2025. Spurred on by rapid innovation in the health space, a positive regulatory environment and the fact that women now control 80% of healthcare decisions in the U.S. household, FemTech is predicted to be the next big disruptor in the global healthcare market. While the benefits of FemTech are widely recognized, the market is still at an early stage.