Emmeline Ventures, an all-women early-stage investment fund, has come out of stealth with the goal of raising $5 million to $8 million for its initial fund to invest in up to 20 businesses.
Los Angeles-based Emmeline Ventures said it is focusing on businesses anywhere in the world led by female and female-identifying founders who aim to help women, in particular, manage their health, build wealth and live in a safer, cleaner world.
The company said it wants to help female founders raise early capital and secure access and expertise needed to reach their next milestone — whether that be growth or a next capital raise.
Emmeline’s first investment is in Clutch Wallet, a web and mobile-based digital wallet that gives women the opportunity to participate in crypto and Web3. The company didn’t disclose the size of the investment.
In other L.A.-area startup news:
- Camino Financial, an AI-powered community lending platform for entrepreneurs, has closed a $150 million debt facility with Community Investment Management. The Los Angeles company said it combines community-driven partnerships and AI technology to finance loans that are typically 40% lower in monthly payments to similar products on the market. In July 2021, the company crossed a milestone of $100 million in loan originations.
- EDO Inc., a data, measurement and analytics software company co-founded by actor Edward Norton, has secured an $80 million investment from Shamrock Capital. The Culver City-based startup said it plans to use the capital to grow its team, enhance its Ad EnGage Convergent TV analytics platform and expand its partner network of data sources.
- Loaded, a Los Angeles talent and marketing agency focused on gaming brands and creators, has raised $20 million in a funding round led by Coral Tree Partners. Loaded plans to use the funds to grow its talent business and acquire other gaming-focused companies, including analytics firms and Web3- and metaverse-focused companies.
- Santa Monica-based Instoried, a platform designed to help people write original content, has closed its Series A funding round at $10 million. It also signed an agreement for Global Emerging Markets Group to provide a share subscription facility of up to $200 million. Instoried plans to use the capital to expand global marketing efforts, primarily in the United States, add staff and invest in its technology to add a Google Chrome extension, a WordPress plug-in and other elements to its product portfolio. The Series A funding round was led by Pritt Investment Partners and 9 Unicorns, with participation from Mumbai Angels, SOSV, Venture Catalysts Angel Fund and others.
- Digital Insight Games has raised $7.5 million in funding led by Hivemind Capital and Griffin Gaming Partners. The company, led by Jon Van Caneghem, the creator of Might & Magic and the Heroes of Might & Magic, plans to make original blockchain games.
- The 22 Fund, an early-growth impact fund, has secured a $5 million investment from Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. The 22 Fund provides capital to promising technology-based, export-oriented manufacturing firms led by women and Black, Indigenous and People of Color entrepreneurs who are often left out of tech capital opportunities. MassMutual's investment in the fund was made as part of a $50 million company initiative to invest capital in Black, Latinx and Indigenous emerging managers of private equity funds.
