In a VC landscape increasingly attuned to impact, a new trend is emerging: funds focusing on the trifecta of finance, health, and sustainability. Emmeline Ventures is one of the funds pioneering in this space. Co-founded by Naseem Sayani, La Keisha Landrum Pierre, and Azin Radsan van Alebeek in 2019, the women-led fund stands out today with its focus on female founders and solutions that prioritize women, distinguishing itself in an increasingly crowded field.
Emmeline Ventures operates with a dual strategy: backing companies that directly benefit women and supporting female CEOs. This approach drives their capital deployment across startups in women’s health, fintech, and sustainability.
“We’re not just writing checks,” Sayani told Femtech Insider. “We’re after tech and innovation that’s helping women live and thrive.” The fund’s portfolio is currently a carefully curated mix: 50% healthcare (focusing on women’s health and female-prevalent conditions), 30% financial services, and 20% sustainability.
A tech-first mentality also defines Emmeline’s investment philosophy. “We want tech companies building in women’s health, not health companies that happen to use tech,” Sayani emphasized. This approach is consistent across all their investment categories, from AI-powered healthcare to cutting-edge fintech and sustainability solutions.
The results speak volumes. Despite the pandemic’s challenges and recent economic headwinds, Emmeline’s portfolio is gaining significant traction. Three companies from their pilot fund secured Series A rounds in 2023—a notable achievement in a tight funding environment.
In healthcare, Sayani is observing a significant shift. “When we started our pilot fund, it was still really early for women’s health. Now, there’s a lot of momentum. Founders are increasingly understanding effective go-to-market strategies, shifting from pure D2C models to more provider-integrated solutions.”
Looking ahead, Emmeline is particularly optimistic about Women’s Health AI, advancements in ovarian health, and the intersection of women’s health and longevity tech. “If we can extend ovarian health, we’re going to solve many other women’s health issues, and the intersection with AI is crucial. We need new data sets – ones that don’t exist today – to help deliver true precision diagnosis and proactive care. Investments that lead the category will be squarely focused on this,” Sayani predicts.
In fintech, Emmeline is heavily focused on financial inclusion. “At Emmeline, financial inclusion is at the core of our fintech strategy, as we recognize the immense potential to unlock wealth generation for all, not just those with traditional access to financial services. According to the World Bank’s Global Findex Report, 1.4 billion adults remain unbanked globally, with mobile and digital financial services rapidly transforming this landscape. In fact, McKinsey estimates that fintech’s pursuing enhanced financial inclusion could increase global GDP by $3.7 trillion by 2025. This shift represents not only a profound social imperative but also an unprecedented investment opportunity by bringing wealth-building tools to underserved populations,” added Landrum Pierre.
For sustainability, the fund is expanding its focus beyond discrete solutions in food and apparel tech to also include curated content and the newly appreciated realm of women’s sports. In addition to targeting horizontal solutions that could revolutionize entire supply chains, from production to purchasing, the team is exploring ‘for-her-by-her’ content across the digital ecosystem and women’s sports innovations that can make the athletic experience safer and more insight-driven for women from start to finish.
Van Alebeek commented, “Two recent sports events underscore the urgency and relevance of our investing mandate: the unprecedented gender parity at the recent Paris Olympics and the tragic loss of a Ugandan Olympian, whose life was cut short by domestic violence. While significant progress is being made in unlocking the full potential of female athletes, much remains to be done to create a safer and more equitable environment for women in high-performance sports. Our work goes beyond empowerment; it’s about ensuring that women not only succeed but also thrive in a world that protects and values them at every level.”
The rise of funds like Emmeline, concentrating on finance, health, and sustainability through a gender lens, is more than just a feel-good narrative. It’s a recognition of a massive market opportunity. As Sayani puts it, “Women’s health is twice the size of all venture capital deployed. That’s a trillion-dollar opportunity we’re tapping into.”
With its focused strategy and growing portfolio, Emmeline Ventures is positioning itself at the forefront, aiming to deliver both strong returns and high impact in equal measure. Their average check size ranges from $250k to $500k, with a geographical focus that’s 80-85% US-based and 15-20% international.
