💸 Niremia Collective Debuts with $22.5M Fund Focused on Well-Being Tech
FemWealth Issue #145
Hi FemWealth Friends,
In today’s edition: Naoko Okumoto and Nichol Bradford launch Niremia Collective, a Silicon Valley–based Seed stage VC firm focused on well-being technology; female-led Zum and DataSnipper reach unicorn status; co-founded by Sara Marquart, Planet A Foods raised $15.4M in Series A funding for its cocoa-free chocolate; co-led by Managing Partner Veronique Hördemann, Future Energy Ventures held the first €110M close of its second climate tech fund; and more in women-led startups and VC.
Get in touch at femwealth@substack.com.
In the Spotlight 💸
Founded by Naoko Okumoto and Nichol Bradford, Niremia Collective is a Silicon Valley–based Seed stage venture capital firm focused on well-being technology. It announced its first fund with $22.5 million in capital commitments.
“Human happiness and health should be at the center of the world. We are born to be happy, and we want humans to be the best version of themselves. Making an investment into technology enables people to tap into that human potential.” - Naoko Okumoto (via TechCrunch)
“We invest in mental, social and emotional well-being as well as human purpose and performance. All of this is human potential and technology. It’s how we heal, thrive and reach our highest potential as human beings. You have to have mental health to be able to do that.” - Nichol Bradford (via TechCrunch)
Niremia Collective’s portfolio already includes 12 investments, such as Feno, an AI-powered oral care services, and Tripp, a VR/XR wellness platform.
Read more: Niremia Collective closes inaugural fund with $22.5M focused on well-being technology
FemWealth Favourites ❤️
Startups: Startup Nets $140 Million to Bring High-Tech Solutions to School Bus Rides (WSJ Pro $) - Founded and led by CEO Ritu Narayan, US-based Zum provides tech-enabled school bus fleets. It raised a $140 million Series E round led by Singapore-based investment firm GIC, with participation from Sequoia and SoftBank. The company is valued at $1.3 billion.
DataSnipper’s auditing platform raises $100M, achieves unicorn status - Led by Vidya Peters, DataSnipper is an intelligent automation platform for audit and finance professionals. The Netherlands-based company secured $100 million in a Series B round led by Index Ventures’ Hannah Seal, at a valuation of $1 billion.
Gen AI and quantum to design new drugs: Paris-based Aqemia completes €60m Series A - Co-founded by Emmanuelle Martiano Rolland (COO), Paris-based biotech Aqemia uses AI to fast-track drug discovery and design. It secured a €30 million extension to its Series A, bringing total funding for the round to €60 million. Wendel Growth led the extension, with participation from existing investors Eurazeo, Bpifrance, and Elaia.
Modern Benefits Leader, Benepass, Secures $20M in Funding - Co-founded and led by Jaclyn Chen, Benepass offers a platform for businesses to manage and distribute employee benefits, including wellness, food, and childcare. The New York-based startup raised a $20 million round co-led by Portage and Clocktower Technology Ventures. Workday Ventures and previous investors Threshold Ventures and Gradient Ventures also participated.
Planet A Foods whips up more capital to take its cocoa-free chocolate global - Co-founded by Sara Marquart, Planet A Foods uses fermentation technology to turn all-natural, locally sourced ingredients (e.g., oats and sunflower seeds) into cocoa-free chocolate. The Munich-based startup announced $15.4 million in Series A funding. World Fund led the round with participation from Omnes Capital, Cherry Ventures, Mudcake, Nucleus Capital, Triple Point Capital, and Feast Ventures.
CarbonPool, the world’s first carbon credit insurance company, raises $12M - Co-founded by Nandini Wilcke, Zurich, Switzerland-based CarbonPool provides in-kind insurance for failure to achieve net zero commitments due to shortfalls, reversals, business interruptions, and natural catastrophes. It raised $12 million in a funding round co-led by Heartcore Capital and Vorwerk Ventures. HCS Capital and Revent Ventures also participated.
Nile raises $11.6M in seed funding to build a Postgres-powered data layer for SaaS applications - Co-founded by Gwen Shapira (CPO), US-based Nile offers a new data solution with built-in support for multi-tenancy as its core primitives. It raised $11.6 million in a Seed funding round led by Benchmark.
Cambridge-based Xampla gets €6.4 million to make plastic elimination enter a new era of sustainability - Led by Alexandra French, Cambridge, UK-based Xampla manufactures biodegradable, plant-based materials for single-use plastic packaging. It raised €6.4 million from Amadeus Capital Partners, Horizon Ventures, Cambridge Angels, Cambridge Enterprise, Martlet Capital, and CIECH Ventures.
Perelel Secures $6M Series A Funding Led by Unilever Ventures - Co-founded by Alex Taylor, Victoria Thain Gioia, and Dr. Banafsheh Bayati MD, OB/GYN, Perelel Health specializes in prenatal and postnatal vitamins. The Los Angeles-based company secured a $6 million Series A investment, led by Unilever Ventures, and joined by Willow Growth and Selva Ventures.
BlueLayer is building the operating system for carbon project developers - Co-founded by Vivian Bertseka, Berlin-based BlueLayer offers a software platform specifically designed for carbon project developers. It raised $5.6 million in Seed funding led by Point Nine.
Now with $5M, Leal invests in AI-driven customer engagement for LatAm merchants - Co-founded by Florence Frech (COO), Leal is a Bogota, Colombia-based retail tech company providing customer engagement in Latin America. It raised $5 million in a pre-Series B round. LEAP Global Partners and Rakuten Capital co-led the round, joined by Morro Ventures and Salkantay Ventures.
Edinburgh biotech ‘breaking new ground in oncology’ raises £4.2 million in fight against cancer - Co-founded and led by Ishani Malhotra, Carcinotech makes 3D printed micro-tumours using cells derived from patient biopsies and blood samples to simulate the tumour microenvironment. It raised £4.2 million in a funding round co-led by Eos Advisory, Maven Capital Partners, Scottish Enterprise, Old College Capital, and Investing Women Angels. TRICAPITAL, SIS Ventures, Gabriel Investment Syndicate, and Alba Equity also joined.
Aster Secures $2.4M in Seed Funding to Advance Prenatal and Postnatal Care - Co-founded by sisters Fifi Kara (CEO) and Dr. Lailah Kara-Newton (Chief Medical Officer), Aster is on a mission to transform prenatal and postnatal care via its predictive and preventative pregnancy care platform for both patients and providers. The San Francisco-based health-tech startup raised $2.4 million in Seed funding, led by Cake Ventures’ Monique Woodard and Cornerstone VC. Zeal Capital Partners, Octopus Ventures, Blueprint, Everywhere Ventures, and select angel investors also participated.
“Pregnancy complications cost the U.S. $54 billion per year and 80% are avoidable. Our company was founded because of a personal experience – my sister and nephew had an incredibly scary birth – and we were all deeply inspired to change what could, and should have been prevented for future mothers.” - Fifi Kara, Co-founder and CEO of Aster (via FemTech Insider)
StreamAlive picks up $1.58M to build engagement tools for livestreams - Co-founded by Lakyntina Lyngdoh, StreamAlive is an audience engagement application for livestreams, virtual meetings, and in-person events. It secured $1.58 million in a Pre-Seed funding round led Speciale Invest.
Evaro raises $1.5M Seed funding to help consumer brands offer pharma prescriptions - Co-founded and led by Dr Thuria Wenbar, Evaro is a UK-based digital health startup providing AI-powered clinical and drug prescription services for minor conditions. It raised $1.5 million in Seed funding.
Yume’s platform helps manufacturers turn potential food waste into money - Founded by Katy Barfield, Melbourne, Australia-based Yume works with manufacturers to redistribute surplus packaged food to businesses and charities. The startup raised $2 million AUD ($1.3 million USD) in Seed funding from investors including Investible’s Climate Tech Fund, Launch VIC, Goodrich Group, and Veolia.
Singapore-based Zora Health Raises $740K to Launch Integrated Fertility Care Platform - Founded and led by Anna Haotanto, Singapore-based Zora Health launched its integrated fertility care and financing platform and announced $740K in funding.
The best communities to join in European tech, according to women in tech - Sifted lists 18 of Europe’s best tech communities recommended by women in tech.
VC: Energy companies’ “business model is dissolving”— E.ON-backed Future Energy Ventures raises €110m - Co-led by Managing Partner Veronique Hördemann, the Berlin-based climate tech fund will invest across three key areas: “future cities,” “future energy” and “future technologies.” It held the first €110 million close of its second climate tech fund, targeted at €250 million. EU’s European Investment Fund and German energy company E.ON invested in the fund.
Poland’s SMOK has closed its $25m second fund for CEE startups - Co-founded by Diana Koziarska, Warsaw, Poland-based SMOK Ventures closed its second fund with $25 million in capital commitments. It aims to back early-stage SaaS, AI, and gaming startups across Central Eastern Europe (CEE) and the region’s diaspora.
Music & Culture: Women And Musicians Of Color Releasing More Top-Charting Songs Than Ever - A new study on gender and racial equity by the Annenberg Inclusion Initiative at the University of Southern California shows that solo female artists filled 40.6% of spots on the Billboard Hot 100 year-end chart in 2023, a significant increase from 34.8% in 2022.
Inspirational Quote ✨
“Embracing love ethic means that we utilize all dimensions of love — “care, commitment, trust, responsibility, respect and knowledge”— in our everyday lives.”
bell hooks, All About Love: New Visions
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Until next Sunday,
Anamaria
Founder & Writer of FemWealth