Being an entrepreneur is a constant cycle of pitching and producing. Jane VC, a women-led venture capital firm that launched last week, is making pitching more efficient by letting female entrepreneurs cold email and pitch them directly here.
Jane VC’s co-founders Jennifer Neundorfer and Maren Thomas Bannon were classmates in Stanford University’s MBA program and have each had successful runs as business owners prior to starting their firm.
Neundorfer previously founded Flashstarts, a VC firmed that helped fund more than 50 Midwest-based startups. Bannon is the former CEO and founder of LittleLane, an online platform that gives parents access to local kids’ activities.
“We started Jane after experiencing first-hand the systemic hurdles women face in tech,” the founders said in a blog post.
The duo said that they want to take the hassle out of introductions and entrepreneurs can expect a timely and direct reply to pitches, even when they are turned down.
“We are transparent about our investment process and promise prompt follow up and decisions, even when it is a ‘no’,” the team said.
The Cleveland and London- based firm was founded to encourage and promote female entrepreneurs globally. Jane VC has raised more than $2 million so far, with hopes of funding between $25,000 and $150,000 in early-stage female-founded companies. The firm is not putting all of its eggs in the Silicon Valley basket and said that there is “massive opportunity” outside of California.
Jane VC also offers office hours for female entrepreneurs to pitch and network with the company.
“Like all VCs, we’re looking for outstanding entrepreneurs with big ideas; but unlike most, we’re putting money on the belief that many of them will be women,” Jane VC said.
