Amsterdam-based VC firm Borski Fund secures €9M

Borski Fund Secures €9 Million Investment from M&G Investments

In a move signaling a growing recognition of the importance of gender diversity in the investment sector, Amsterdam-based venture capital firm Borski Fund has secured a significant €9 million investment from M&G Investments. This marks a milestone for the fund, as Founding Partner Simone Brummelhuis describes it as “one of the largest investments in the history of the fund.”

“Even more substantially,it represents a strong endorsement from one of the leading and most prosperous international savings and investment firms,” Brummelhuis emphasized,highlighting the weight of M&G Investments’ backing.

M&G Investments stands as a major player in the global financial world, managing £346.1 billion (€408.2 billion) in assets as of June 30, 2024. The company’s dedication too responsible investing is evident in its commitment to the United nations principles for Responsible investment (UNPRI) and its active participation in the Climate Bonds Initiative Partners Program.

Alex Seddon, Head of Private Equity and Impact at M&G Investments, underscored the alignment of this investment with the firm’s commitment to fostering inclusivity. “We are glad to announce our commitment to Borski Fund,an impactful company taking bold steps to address the critical funding gap faced by women-led businesses,” Seddon stated.”As with our recent contributions to Bethnal Green Ventures and Pact, two other female-led funds in Europe, our investment in borski Fund reaffirms our commitment to play our part in building a more inclusive society.”

Breaking Barriers: Borski Fund’s Vision for a More Inclusive Venture Capital Landscape

The venture capital landscape is notorious for its lack of diversity, with women receiving a disproportionately small share of funding.Borski Fund, though, is challenging this status quo. Founded in 2019 by Simone Brummelhuis and Laura Rooseboom, the fund is laser-focused on empowering female founders and dismantling the barriers they face in securing capital.

“Only one percent of venture capital funding goes to women-led teams, while a staggering 94 percent goes to male-led teams,” highlights brummelhuis, pointing to a glaring disparity. “Despite research consistently showing that diverse teams tend to be more innovative and achieve better performance, women continue to be overlooked.”

Borski Fund’s dedication to change is evident in its investment thesis. They actively seek out businesses founded by women, either as sole or co-founders, that are tackling critical market needs within transformative industries like healthcare, circular energy, and future societies. This commitment extends beyond financial support. The fund actively nurtures its portfolio companies,fostering a culture of growth and success.

The fund’s portfolio is a testament to this strategy. Companies like Soft Revolt, a lingerie brand disrupting the industry with its innovative designs; VivArt-X, pioneering personalized breast reconstruction and regeneration using biomaterials; and CarbonX, offering a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to graphite in electric vehicle batteries, showcase the immense potential and innovation that emerges from diverse teams.

The recent €50 million investment from M&G Investments, propelling Borski Fund to its hard cap, underscores the growing recognition of the value and potential of inclusive ventures. “M&G now joins our esteemed group of limited partners, all of whom are dedicated to supporting and advancing borski’s mission of empowering remarkable female founders and their startups,” said Brummelhuis, emphasizing the collective effort required to create a more equitable future.

Beyond Financial Investment: Creating a More Inclusive Ecosystem

While financial investment is crucial, fostering true gender diversity in venture capital requires a multi-pronged approach. Borski Fund recognizes this and actively champions initiatives that go beyond financial support.

“There are many ways to pave the way for greater inclusion,” says Brummelhuis. “mentorship programs connecting female founders with experienced investors, workshops focused on improving pitch skills and navigating the funding landscape, and actively promoting clarity and accountability within the venture capital community are just some of the steps we need to take.”

Borski Fund Secures €9 Million Investment, Championing Gender Diversity in Venture Capital

Amsterdam-based venture capital firm, Borski Fund, has made waves recently with a significant €9 million investment from the global financial giant, M&G Investments. This substantial influx of capital underscores a growing trend within the venture capital industry: a clear shift towards supporting impact investing and actively promoting gender diversity. We sat down with Simone Brummelhuis, Founding Partner at Borski Fund, to delve deeper into this impactful partnership and its implications for the future of venture capital.

“This investment signifies more than just financial support,” Brummelhuis explains. “It’s a powerful validation of our approach. Having M&G Investments, with their global reach and dedication to responsible investing, on board sends a clear message: impact investing and fostering gender diversity in startups are gaining mainstream recognition.”

This commitment from M&G Investments aligns perfectly with Borski Fund’s core values.”Our foundation is built on the belief that bridging the funding gap faced by female-led startups is crucial,” Brummelhuis asserts. “By partnering with a firm that actively promotes responsible investment principles,we amplify our impact and solidify our message: building a more inclusive and equitable future is essential for both economic prosperity and societal progress.”

The investment news also highlights that Borski Fund has reached its hard cap of €50 million,a testament to the strong investor confidence in their strategy. “Our portfolio companies are truly thriving,” Brummelhuis shares. “We focus on businesses with female founders, either as co-founders, addressing critical market needs, especially within transformative industries like healthcare, circular energy, and future societies. Examples like Soft Revolt, Vivart X, and CarbonX showcase the immense potential and innovation that emerges from diverse teams.” This focus has resulted in consistently strong returns, validating their belief in supporting extraordinary female founders.

Looking ahead, Brummelhuis is excited about the future of venture capital and Borski Fund’s role in shaping a more inclusive landscape.”We are deeply passionate about nurturing companies that generate both financial success and positive social impact,” she concludes. “We envision a future where diverse teams are at the forefront of innovation, driving positive change across all sectors.”

Borski Fund Reaches €50 Million Milestone: A beacon of Inclusivity in Venture Capital

Borski Fund, dedicated to empowering female founders, has hit a significant milestone, reaching its hard cap of €50 million. This notable feat signifies a surge in investor confidence and highlights the growing recognition of diverse talent in the venture capital landscape.

“Our portfolio companies are truly thriving,” shares an enthusiastic Borski Fund representative. “We focus on businesses with female founders,either co-founders,who are tackling critical market needs,especially within transformative industries like healthcare,circular energy,and future societies.”

Examples like Soft Revolt, VivArt-X, and CarbonX exemplify the immense potential and innovation that emerge from diverse teams. The fund has witnessed consistently strong returns, validating its belief in backing extraordinary female founders.”We are deeply passionate about nurturing companies that generate both financial success and positive social impact,” emphasizes the representative.

Looking ahead, the Borski Fund representative expresses excitement about the future of venture capital, particularly its role in shaping a more inclusive landscape. “What truly excites me is the growing recognition of diversity’s critical role in innovation and growth. this isn’t simply about social obligation; it’s a smart investment strategy,” they explain.

The representative highlights the increasing understanding among investors, including industry giants like M&G Investments, of the value proposition of supporting female-founded startups. “Borski Fund’s ambition is to be a driving force behind this change, providing resources, mentorship, and visibility to extraordinary female founders and creating a ripple effect of positive change across industries.”

Beyond investments, the Borski Fund representative emphasizes the need for concrete steps to close the gender gap in venture capital.”What steps, beyond investments, do you believe are essential for closing the gender gap in venture capital?” they pose, inviting a deeper conversation about the multifaceted challenges and opportunities within the industry.

How does Borski Fund’s recent €50 million milestone contribute to the broader movement for greater inclusivity in venture capital?

Borski Fund Reaches €50 Million Milestone: A beacon of Inclusivity in Venture Capital

Borski Fund, dedicated to empowering female founders, has hit a notable milestone, reaching its hard cap of €50 million. This notable feat signifies a surge in investor confidence and highlights the growing recognition of diverse talent in the venture capital landscape.

“Our portfolio companies are truly thriving,” shares an keen Borski Fund representative. “We focus on businesses with female founders,either co-founders,who are tackling critical market needs,especially within transformative industries like healthcare,circular energy,and future societies.”

Examples like Soft Revolt, VivArt-X, and CarbonX exemplify the immense potential and innovation that emerge from diverse teams. the fund has witnessed consistently strong returns, validating its belief in backing extraordinary female founders.”we are deeply passionate about nurturing companies that generate both financial success and positive social impact,” emphasizes the representative.

Looking ahead, the Borski Fund representative expresses excitement about the future of venture capital, particularly its role in shaping a more inclusive landscape. “What truly excites me is the growing recognition of diversity’s critical role in innovation and growth. this isn’t simply about social obligation; it’s a smart investment strategy,” they explain.

The representative highlights the increasing understanding among investors, including industry giants like M&G Investments, of the value proposition of supporting female-founded startups. “Borski Fund’s ambition is to be a driving force behind this change, providing resources, mentorship, and visibility to extraordinary female founders and creating a ripple effect of positive change across industries.”

Beyond investments,the Borski Fund representative emphasizes the need for concrete steps to close the gender gap in venture capital.”What steps, beyond investments, do you beleive are essential for closing the gender gap in venture capital?” they pose, inviting a deeper conversation about the multifaceted challenges and opportunities within the industry.

Borski Fund: Empowering Female Founders

Borski Fund,founded by Simone Brummelhuis and Laura Rooseboom,is an Amsterdam-based venture capital firm dedicated to investing in female-founded startups. Their mission is to bridge the funding gap faced by women entrepreneurs and empower them to build successful businesses. As its inception in 2019, Borski Fund has invested in a diverse portfolio of companies across various sectors, including healthcare, circular energy, and future societies.

Borski Fund’s commitment to diversity goes beyond financial investments. They actively provide mentorship, networking opportunities, and resources to support their portfolio companies’ growth.

Here’s a closer look at Borski Fund’s impact:

Investment Focus: The fund targets companies led by women, either as sole founders or co-founders, addressing critical market needs in transformative industries.

Portfolio Companies: borski Fund’s portfolio boasts innovative companies like Soft Revolt, a lingerie brand disrupting the industry; VivArt-X, pioneering personalized breast reconstruction; and CarbonX, offering sustainable battery alternatives.

Impact Beyond Finance: Borski Fund actively promotes initiatives to foster inclusivity in the venture capital landscape, including mentorship programs, workshops, and advocacy for greater clarity.

Strategic Partnerships: Borski Fund’s recent partnership with M&G Investments, a global financial giant committed to responsible investing, underscores the growing recognition of diversity’s importance in venture capital.

Borski Fund’s vision is to build a future where diverse teams are at the forefront of innovation,driving positive change across industries. Their commitment to empowering female founders is paving the way for a more equitable and inclusive venture capital ecosystem.