💸 Oula Raises $28M Series B to Redesign Maternity Care
FemWealth Issue #148
Hi FemWealth Friends,
In today’s edition: Oula raised $28M Series B for its maternity care center; co-founded by Zelda Mariet, Bioptimus raised a $35M Seed round to build foundation models aimed to transform biology; Jane Woodward and Mauricia Geissler’s WovenEarth Ventures, a US-based climate tech-focused fund-of-funds launched its $152M debut fund; co-founded and led by Managing Partner Kimmy Paluch, Beta Boom closed its $14.5M Fund II; and more in women-led startups and VC.
Get in touch at femwealth@substack.com.
In the Spotlight 💸
Co-founded by Adrianne Nickerson (CEO) and Elaine Purcell (COO), Oula is a New York City-based maternity care center that blends traditional obstetric care with midwifery. Its mission is to provide a more personalized and evidence-based birth experience.
“The power of Oula’s collaborative care approach to care is that patients feel seen and heard during a transformative moment in their lives, health systems are able to address the evolving expectations of their communities, and we can move the needle on unacceptable outcomes and disparities in maternal care.” - Adrianne Nickerson, co-founder and CEO of Oula
The startup raised a $28 million Series B round co-led by Revolution Ventures and Maverick Ventures. GV, Female Founders Fund, 8VC, Alumni Ventures, and Great Oaks also joined.
Oula plans to open more maternity care clinics and launch new services for patients in their reproductive years.
Read more: Oula, backed by Chelsea Clinton, banks $28M to build out maternity care clinics
FemWealth Favourites ❤️
Startups: Bioptimus raises $35 million seed round to develop AI foundational model focused on biology - Co-founded by Zelda Mariet, Bioptimus is building foundation models aimed to transform biology. The Paris-based company raised a $35 million Seed round led by Sofinnova Partners. Bpifrance’s Large Venture fund, Frst, Cathay Innovation, Headline, Hummingbird, NJF Capital, Owkin, Top Harvest Capital, and Xavier Niel also joined.
Carewell Secures $24.7 Million in Series B Funding to Revolutionize Familial Caregiving Experience - Co-founded and led by Bianca Padilla, Carewell is a US online retailer focused on providing family caregivers with tools and resources to care for their loved ones. It raised a $24.7 million Series B funding round led by the principals of MBF Healthcare, with participation from existing investors Sageview Capital and Headline among others.
Empowerly secures $15M for its college counseling services - Co-founded by Hanmei Wu, Empowerly is a US-based edtech startup specializing in college counseling and career guidance services. It raised $15 million in a funding round led by Conductive Ventures.
UK biotech Baseimmune raises £9m to develop ‘mutation-proof’ vaccines - Co-founded by Ariane C. Gomes (CSO), UK vaccine discovery biotech Baseimmune raised £9 million from IQ Capital and Hoxton Ventures
Pulsate Raises $7.75M in Series A Funding Backed By TruStage Ventures and Curql - Led by Sarah Martin, Pulsate provides a mobile-first member engagement platform for financial institutions. The Dublin-based company raised $7.8 million in Series A funding from TruStage Ventures and Curql Collective.
London startup Climate Policy Radar raises $6.8M to leverage AI in climate policy tracking - Founded and led by Dr. Michal Nachmany, Climate Policy Radar leverages data science and artificial intelligence to track climate change policies and laws on a global scale. The London-based startup raised $6.8 million in new (grant) funding from philanthropists and foundations including the Environmental Defence Fund, Google.org, Open Society Foundations (OSF), The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, Sequoia Climate Foundation, Schmidt Futures, and existing backer Quadrature Climate Foundation (QCF).
Ziplines Education, Formerly GreenFig, Raises $6.4 Million Series A - Founded and led by Sara Leoni, Ziplines Education provides online digital skills courses. The US-based company raised $6.4 million in Series A funding led by Jackson Square Ventures. Wildcat Venture Partners and WGU Labs also participated.
Disney star turned space CEO: Bridgit Mendler launches satellite data startup backed by major VCs - Co-founded and led by Bridgit Mendler, Northwood Space aims to build satellite ground stations designed for mass production and customer flexibility. The US company announced $6 million in initial funding from investors including Founders Fund, Andreessen Horowitz, and Also Capital.
“The vision is a data highway between Earth and space.” - Bridgit Mendler (via CNBC)
ClimateTech startup Cyclize secures €5 Million in seed funding for revolutionary plastic recycling technology - Co-founded and led by Maike Lambarth, Cyclize is a climate tech startup that designed a process for recycling mixed plastic waste into synthetic gas. The Stuttgart, Germany-based company raised €5 million in Seed funding led by UVC Partners. High-Tech Gründerfonds, Aurum Impact, and UnternehmerTUM Funding for Innovators also contributed.
Paris-based Avatar Medical bags €5 million to democratize access to 3D medical images - Co-founded by Elodie Brient-Litzler (COO) and Marie Buhot-Launay (VP of Sales & Marketing), Avatar Medical converts CT scans and MRI images into 3D and VR representations of a patient’s medical images. The Paris-based startup raised €5 million in a Seed funding round led by GO Capital, with additional support from Acorn Pacific Ventures, Plug and Play, Rives Croissance, and Cenitz.
How GlycanAge is revolutionising preventative healthcare with $4.2M seed round - Co-founded and led by Nikolina Lauc, GlycanAge is on a mission to unlock the human glycome (all the sugar chains or glycans synthesised by an organism) for preventative health and longevity. The UK-based company announced a $4.2 million Seed round led by LAUNCHub Ventures, with participation from Kadmos Capital.
Barcelona-based WIVI Vision raises €4 million to improve visual health with gamified AI-based therapies - Co-founded and led by Eva García Ramos, WIVI Vision offers AI-based solutions to improve visual efficiency and treat visual dysfunctions in diagnosis and subsequent recovery. It closed a €4 million Series A funding round (mix of equity and debt) led by Adara Ventures, with participation from Hearstlab, Avançsa, Caixabank DayOne, BBVA Spark, Banco Santander, a.o.
Dili wants to automate due diligence with AI - Co-founded by Stephanie Song, Dili is an AI platform aiming to automate the investment due diligence and portfolio management process for private equity and VC firms. The US company raised $3.6 million from investors including Allianz Strategic Investments, Rebel Fund, Singularity Capital, Corenest, Decacorn, Pioneer Fund, NVO Capital, Amino Capital, Rocketship VC, Hi2 Ventures, Gaingels, and Hyper Ventures.
Elektra Health seeded $3M for virtual menopause care (Axios Pro $) - Co-founded by Alessandra Henderson and Jannine Versi, Elektra Health is a New York-based menopause health startup. It raised $3.3 million in additional Seed funding led by UPMC Enterprises, joined by Wavemaker 360, Flare Capital Partners, and Seven Seven Six Fund.
Coroflo Prepares for Breastfeeding Monitor Launch with €2.8M Raise - Co-founded by Chief Research Officer Dr. Helen Barry and led by CEO Rosanne Longmore, Coroflo is an Ireland-based medtech startup developing a breastfeeding monitor. It raised €2.8 million.
Samphire Neuroscience is building a brain stimulating wearable for period pain - Co-founded and led by Emilé Radytė, Samphire Neuroscience is developing a brain-stimulating wearable device to help alleviate PMS and menstrual pain. The UK-based company secured a $2.3 million Pre-Seed round from SOSV, Firstpick, Afterwork, Seaside, Ayuh, CVX Ventures, and angel investors.
Connected raises record €2M Pre-Seed for NB-IoT connectivity from space - Co-founded by Raquel Magalhães, Connected is developing a proprietary, autonomous, scalable, and easily integrated payload system designed for third-party satellites in low Earth orbits (LEO). The Porto, Portugal-based company secured a €2 million Pre-Seed funding round. FundBox, Shilling VC, and Iberis Capital co-led the round, joined by Amena Ventures, angel investor Keith Willey, and Octopus Ventures.
AddGlow takes on Reddit, Facebook with community-building software for brands - Founded and led by Ina Herlihy, AddGlow is developing a community software for brands to host communities on their own websites. The US-based company raised a $1.7 million Pre-Seed round co-led by Stellation Capital and Precursor Ventures, joined by StoryHouse Ventures and a group of strategic angel investors.
Juniper raises £1.5m to roll out “insurance for genitals” pilot - Co-founded and led by Ambra Zhang, UK-based Juniper came out of stealth with £1.5 million in Pre-Seed funding, aiming to provide healthcare insurance as a workplace benefit. Insurtech Gateway led the round, joined by 2100 Ventures, Exceptional Ventures, and angel investors including Eurazeo’s Tara Reeves and Atomico Angel Vera Baker.
Co-founded by Lisa Aasa, Vitala Health, a Stockholm-based that helps patients who are prescribed medical exercise to track their progress digitally, raised €1.34 million from Fort Knox Förvaring, Huxley Invest, and Spintop Ventures. [via Sifted]
Care.com Founder Launches AI Startup Aimed At $10.9 Trillion Labor Gap - Features Sheila Lirio Marcelo, co-founder and CEO of Ohai.ai, a US startup that leverages AI to improve the lives of families
Women-Led African Healthtech Firms Secure $52M In Funding, Marking Over 2,000% Increase - In 2023, women-founded companies in the African healthtech ecosystem raised $52 million in funding. Kasha (Kenya), Dawi Clinics (Egypt), Maisha Meds (Kenya), and Chefaa (Egypt) accounted for 75% of the total funding.
How Two Female-Founded Tampon Companies Use Collaboration Over Competition To Scale Their Brands - Features Nadya Okamoto, co-founder of August, and Greta Meyer and Amanda Calabrese, co-founders of Sequel
The Serial Entrepreneur Who Doesn’t Need To Be First To Win - Features Yin Wu, CEO and co-founder of Pulley, a US cap table management platform
VC: New early-stage climate tech fund of funds closes $152 million - Co-founded and co-led by Jane Woodward and Mauricia Geissler, WovenEarth Ventures is a US-based climate tech-focused fund-of-funds. The firm held the final close of its debut fund at $152 million.
Bluestein Ventures raises $45M for third food tech fund - Co-led by Managing Partner Ashley Hartman, Chicago-based early-stage VC firm Bluestein Ventures launched its Fund III with $45 million in capital commitments. Focused on pre-seed to Series A investment, it targets consumer-facing technology across the food supply chain, including health and wellness, proprietary foodtech, commerce, and digital technology.
Beta Boom’s New $14.5M Fund Targets Underserved Populations - Co-founded and led by Managing Partner Kimmy Paluch, Beta Boom closed its $14.5 million Fund II. Ally Bank, Pivotal Ventures (A Melinda French Gates Company), Bank of America, and Atento Capital are among the fund’s LPs. The new fund aims to support early-stage startups addressing the needs of rapidly growing but underserved populations, across sectors such as fintech, digital health, and the future of work.
Women’s Health: Jill Biden announces $100 million for ‘life-changing’ research and development into women’s health - US First Lady Jill Biden announced $100 million in federal funding for research and development into women’s health. The amount represents the first major deliverable of the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research.
“We will build a health care system that puts women and their lived experiences at its center. Where no woman or girl has to hear that ‘it’s all in your head,’ or, ‘it’s just stress.’” Where women aren’t just an after-thought, but a first-thought. Where women don’t just survive with chronic conditions, but lead long and healthy lives.” - Jill Biden (via AP)
Equality: 12 Women Working Toward a More Equal World - Features Nobel Laureate Claudia Goldin, Chanel CEO Leena Nair, and other trailblazing women
Inspirational Quote ✨
“Every individual makes an impact every day.” - Dame Jane Goodall, DBE, English primatologist and anthropologist
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Until next Sunday,
Anamaria
Founder & Writer of FemWealth