Network Encourageventures wants to invest up to 120 million euros in female-led start-ups - 60 top female managers are on board

Lisa Marie Münster Lisa Marie Münster | 17.06.2021

What do Tina Müller, Ina Schlie, Alexa Gorman and Sigrid Nikutta have in common? They are successful managers and entrepreneurs who want to strengthen the back of female founders in the start-up scene. Today marks the digital launch of their network Encourageventures.

Men give men money, now women specifically give women money: 60 female investors from Germany have joined forces and founded a network under the name Encourageventures, which is explicitly dedicated to promoting women-led start-ups. Together with the investment company Auxxo, an all-female growth fund is planned, which is to be worth 100 to 200 million euros.

The idea came to former SAP top manager Ina Schlie during the financing round of the start-up Tandemploy, in which only female investors participated. After that, the response and demand from other start-ups was great, Schlie initiated the network. "There is a lack of role models among both female founders and female investors. We want to change this with encourageventures and provide more visibility and capital - according to the motto `one can be, what one can see'", Martina Pfeifer describes the goal of the network.

In addition to her, the German Douglas boss Tina Müller, multi-supervisory board members Alexa Hergenröther and Angelika Gifford, entrepreneur Stephanie Bschorr, head of start-up activities at SAP Alexa Gorman and CEO of DB Cargo AG Sigrid Nikutta are also involved in Encourageventures.

Start-ups can apply to Encourageventures to be accepted into the network. The first pitch nights were already held in April and June 2021, where the Cologne-based start-up Deep Skill successfully presented itself, for example. Founder Miriam Mertens explains her motivation: "In an all-female round, I hope to be treated to more of an evaluation of my performance and experience, instead of a big show around it." A third pitch night is planned for after the summer break, with the kick-off event taking place today digitally from Berlin.


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