Houston-based Curate Capital, a venture capital firm focused on investments into female-led businesses, has made a new investment.
Curate Capital led the seed funding round for Park Place Payments, a Los Angeles-based, female-founded fintech company focused on payment processing. Park Place Payments aims to use proceeds from the funding round to expand its team and product offerings, the company said.
Led by founder and CEO Samantha Ettus, Park Place Payments grew its sales force by 371% over the past year, and the company's headcount is expected to reach 1,200 by the end of 2021. Nancy Decker Lent, a founding member and vice president of account executive success for Park Place Payments, is based in the Houston region, along with a growing number of account executives, a company spokesperson said.
"We're thrilled about this remarkable and diverse group of investors," said Ettus. "This group will be pivotal in supporting our mission to help more businesses while delivering meaningful opportunities and financial stability for more women at a time when it's most needed."
Curate Capital was launched in 2020 by founder and general partner Carrie Colbert, who established the firm after spending nearly two decades in the oil and gas industry in Houston. Curate Capital was raising for $10 million for its first investment fund earlier this year.
"At Curate Capital, we are passionate about investing in businesses by women for women," said Colbert, founder and general partner at Curate Capital. "First and foremost, we invest in winning women — and that's exactly who Park Place’s founder and CEO Samantha Ettus is. We invest in businesses that cater to the unique needs of women, and we wholeheartedly believe in the nationwide sales force that Park Place Payments is building."
Curate Capital's portfolio is industry agnostic, but Colbert said the fund will focus on investments in early-stage companies with promising products or services tailored to women. Other companies in Curate's portfolio include Houston-based SocialMama, a digital platform with a supportive community of mothers; Seattle-based GlamHive, a provider of personal stylist services; and Austin-based lifestyle brand Packed Party, which sells products at retailers like Walmart and Whole Foods.
