Alumni Ventures is one of the most active early-stage venture capital firms in the United States, managing more than $1.5 billion in committed capital across 1,600+ portfolio companies and over 40 thematic funds. Its Women's Fund backs startups founded or led by women, built on the thesis that female founders are systematically underfunded relative to the returns they deliver: in 2024, women-founded companies received only 2.3% of global VC funding despite generating $0.78 in revenue per funding dollar compared to $0.31 for male founders.
The Women's Fund targets high-growth startups across AI, healthtech, cybersecurity, and space, prioritizing founders who demonstrate high capital efficiency and resilience relative to their funding levels. The fund is sector-diversified with a particular interest in areas where women founders are building category-defining companies despite receiving a fraction of available venture capital.
Women's Fund Vintage III launched in March 2026 with a first-round close date of April 30, 2026, and targets a diversified portfolio of approximately 20 companies founded or led by women. It operates through Alumni Ventures' community-powered model, drawing on a network of more than 11,000 accredited investors for deal sourcing, co-investment, and founder support.
This is the third vintage of the Women's Fund, which has backed more than 400 women-led startups across its history. The fund is open to accredited investors through the April 30 close date.
Leadership
Laura Rippy is Managing Partner of the Women's Fund and a Board Member at Alumni Ventures. Business Insider named her the #1 Woman Early-Stage Investor of 2025 and ranked her #25 on its all-gender Seed 100 list, making her one of only six women on the all-gender ranking. Rippy is a three-time CEO and technology executive with seven years at Microsoft spanning enterprise software and the founding of internal startup teams. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and an AB in Government from Dartmouth College.
Investment Strategy
The Women's Fund builds diversified portfolios of approximately 20 companies per vintage, investing at the Seed and Series A stages. Deal sourcing draws on Alumni Ventures' platform-wide infrastructure and network of 11,000+ accredited investors. Portfolio founders receive access to Alumni Ventures' broader ecosystem, including co-investment pathways, operator networks, and community resources built across 40+ fund products and 1,600+ portfolio companies.
Notable Investments
The Women's Fund has backed female founders and co-founders across technology, health, and infrastructure:
Other
The Women's Fund is open for its first-round close on April 30, 2026, and is available to accredited investors. Founders building in AI, healthtech, cybersecurity, or space who are women or have women co-founders can reach the team through av.vc/funds/womens.
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