💸 Anke Huiskes' NP-Hard Ventures Raises €12M to Back Software Startups
FemWealth Issue #137
Hi FemWealth Friends!
In today’s edition: Led by Anke Huiskes, Netherlands-based VC firm NP-Hard Ventures raised €12M to back software startups in Europe and the US; co-founded by Charlotte Dale and Sarah Bernard, Inclusively, a US-based workforce inclusion platform raised $13M in Series A funding; co-founded by Justine Massicotte, Off/Script, a community-powered product creation platform secured over $7 million; Divya Seshamani’ Greensphere Capital is raising a new climate and biodiversity VC fund; and more in women-led startups, VC, and finance.
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In the Spotlight 💸
Co-founded and led by former operator Anke Huiskes, Netherlands-based VC firm NP-Hard Ventures raised €12 million to invest in software startups in Europe and the US.
One of Europe’s few funds headed up by former operators and run by a woman, it will write cheques of around €250k into early-stage software companies.
The firm’s LP base includes approximately 70 investors, many of which are founders and operators, two universities in the Netherlands, family offices, and one fund of funds.
FemWealth Favourites ❤️
Edamama raises series A+ round to boost offline expansion - Founded by Bela Gupta D'Souza, Edamama is a Philippines-based online retailer for parents. It raised $35 million in Series A+ funding. Active Fund led the round, joined by GS Group, Kickstart Ventures, Gentree Fund, and Innoven Capital.
Inclusively Raises $13 Million To Improve Workplace Accommodations - Co-founded by Charlotte Dales (CEO) and Sarah Bernard (COO), Inclusively is a US-based workforce inclusion platform that helps to accommodate workers with disabilities at companies such as Apple, Delta, Pfizer, and Barclays and offer a more inclusive workplace. It raised $13 million in a Series A funding round led by Firework Ventures, with participation by Benson Capital.
Uber-for-parcels startup Relay raises $10M seed round to scale in the UK - Co-founded by Nicole Mazza (CCO), Relay provides an end-to-end parcel delivery service for e-commerce companies. It raised a $10 million Seed round, led by Project A Ventures and Prologis Ventures.
HappyPal secures €7m in Series A funding to revolutionise employee benefits - Co-founded and led by Alyssa Emmungil, Paris-based HappyPal is a platform that targets the uneven access to employee benefits, particularly for deskless workers. It raised €7 million in Series A funding in a round led by Educapital and joined by Anthemis Group.
Off/Script launches an app to create and buy AI-designed fashion - Co-founded by Justine Massicotte (CTO), Off/Script is a community-powered product creation platform that allows anyone to conceptualize, share, and monetize product mock-ups (clothing, high-end handbags, accessories, decor, furniture, electronics, etc.) for a chance to make the concept a reality. The Montreal-based startup raised over $7 million in funding from investors Accel, BlockTower, and White Star Capital.
Open source Notion alternative AppFlowy gets big-name backers and lands on the cloud - Co-founded and led by Anqi Annie Wang, AppFlowy provides an open source alternative to project and knowledge management tools. The Singapore-based company raised $6.4 million in a Seed funding round led by OSS Capital, with participation from renowned tech founders.
Craftwork Out To Modernize Home Services Market, Scores $6 Million Seed Round - Co-founded by Suzanne Griffin (COO), Craftwork is a US-based home services platform. It raised $6 million in Seed funding led by Forerunner Ventures. Y Combinator, General Catalyst, and angel investors also joined the round.
Sustainable e-bike micromobility HumanForest secures £5.7M Series A extension - Co-founded by Caroline Seton, the parent company of e-bike operator Forest, raised a £5 million extension, bringing its Series A total to £17 million. Güil Mobility Ventures, Fen Ventures, several Cabify executives, and sustainable finance specialist Triodos Bank UK participated in the round.
Biomel secures £5.5M from IRIS Ventures for plant-based gut health products - Co-founded by Janett Lozano, Biomel is a UK plant-based gut health brand that produces drinks, snack bars, and powders. It raised a £5.5 million investment from IRIS Ventures.
Linio Biotech raises €4.2M for tissue regeneration skincare - Co-founded and led by Karita Reijonsaari and Riina Uusmies, the Finnish biotech company developed an injectable tissue product called Tience® which helps skin naturally heal itself. The company raised €4.2 million.
Reed Jobs’ Yosemite makes first digital health bet on Maia Oncology (Axios Pro $) - Founded and led by Liya Shuster-Bier, Maia Oncology is a virtual cancer care coordination startup. It raised $4.25 million in Seed funding, in a round co-led by Yosemite and Takeda Digital Ventures, including the American Cancer Society's BrightEdge, BBG Ventures, and Coalition Operators.
Osium AI uses artificial intelligence to speed up materials innovation - Founded by Sarah Najmark (CEO) and Luisa Bouneder, Osium AI aims to optimize the feedback loop between materials formulation and testing using a data-driven approach. The France-based startup raised a $2.6 million Seed round from Y Combinator, Singular, Kima Ventures, Collaborative Fund, Raise Phiture, and several business angels.
German Menopause Startup Frieda Health Raises €2.5M in Pre-Seed Funding - Co-founded and led by Valentina Ullrich, Berlin-based Frieda Health is a mission-driven technology company that empowers women to take charge of the menopausal journey. It raised a €2.5 million Pre-Seed round from longevity company builder Maximon.
Swiss Medical Device Company Pregnolia Raises $2.47M to Advance Premature Birth Diagnostics - Founded and led by Sabrina Badir, Zurich-based Pregnolia is a medical technology company on a mission to provide accurate diagnostics for preterm birth. It secured 2.2M Swiss francs (USD $2.47M).
Lilio Health Secures €2.2M in Seed Funding for Its Baby Sensor Bracelet - Co-founded and led by Dr. Nadine Wunderlich, Lilio Health is a medtech company that developed a baby sensor bracelet offering parents real-time insights into their child’s health. The company raised €2.2 million in a Seed funding round led by emma Ventures, with support from support from both existing and new investors.
Layer AI raises $1.8M to bring AI to game art production - Co-founded by Burcu Ozcengiz (CRO), Layer AI is a San Francisco-based startup that provides an AI-powered productivity tool for game art production. It raised a $1.8 million Seed round from investors including The Games Fund, Laton Ventures, and GFR Fund.
Intrigue Media raises US$1.75 million investment round - Co-founded by Helen Zhang, the US-based media company publishes newsletters and a podcast focused on global affairs. It raised a $1.75 million Seed round led by Autumn Road Capital.
Co-founded by Marta Arisa, Kibus Petcare, a Barcelona-based automated device that cooks food for dogs, raised €1 million from investors including Easo Ventures. [via Sifted]
PrintyMed spins a web of innovation with bio-friendly spider silk - Founded and led by Jekaterina Romanova, Latvia-based PrintyMed is developing biocompatible artificial spider silk for medical applications, such as tissue engineering, 3D heart valves, and skin reconstruction. The company that spun out of the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis is currently looking for funding.
Black Korean Female Founder Overcomes VC Bias To Disrupt CPG Industry - Features Black Korean-American entrepreneur Denise Woodard, Founder and CEO of Partake Foods, an allergy-friendly snacks brand. The company raised over $20 million from investors including Black Star Fund, Bobby Wagner, CAST US Fund, CircleUp Growth Partners, Fearless Fund, FF2032, Jay-Z’s Marcy Venture Partners, John Foraker, Kevin Johnson’s Black Capital, and Rihanna.
VC & Finance: Co-founded by Divya Seshamani (ex-TPG, GIC), Greensphere Capital, a UK-based firm is raising a new climate and biodiversity VC fund targeted at £150 million. [via Axios Pro]
Expect Equity raises first fund to diversify hedge fund managers - Founded by Hallie Label, Expect Equity is a new US-based incubator for hedge funds led by underrepresented managers. It held a $55 million first close on its debut fund (targeted at $100 million).
Athena Capital Seeks $500 Million for Investments in Mission-Driven Companies (Bloomberg $) - Led by serial SPAC sponsor Isabelle Freidheim, US-based Athena Capital is raising $500 million for an equity and debt fund.
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Until next Sunday,
Anamaria
Founder & Writer of FemWealth