Unconventional Ventures

✌ It has been two years since the announcement of UV Fund I, out of which we invest with the steadfast belief that the convergence of impact x diversity is imperative, allowing us to work with some of the most innovative, astute and determined founders out there. 📂 A lot has happened since July 2022, and we are proud to be able to share these statistics with you - allowing you to take a peek into our portfolio and understand the impact they can have on our joint future. Some of the points we touch upon are: 🔺 Impact areas and industries (Environmental: 8 Social: 7) 🔺 Gender composition of founding teams (47 / 33 / 20) 🔺 Gender composition at board level (50 / 50 (!)) 🔺 Diversity beyond gender among founders (60%) 🔺 The cities our portco HQs are based in (9) We are extremely excited to continue our journey to unlock the potential of underrepresented founders building impact tech companies, and monitor how this data develops over time. Does any of these data points stick out, or surprise you? cc: Nora Thea Elin

Finansavisen sist lørdag: Tre startups kapret store investorer Svært gøy å fortelle litt om hva som skjer i Ocean Oasis til Finansavisens Margrethe Schmidt Hegnar. Tidligere i høst kom nyheten om at vi har fått over 70 millioner kroner i finansiering fra CINEA - European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency. Prosjektet vi har fått EU-støtte til er vårt springbrett over i kommersiell fase, og vi inviterer nå med oss nye investorer på laget. Link til sak i kommentarfeltet 👇

This summer marked two years since the launch of UV Fund I. Driven by the conviction that the intersection of impact and diversity is a key-driver of high-growth solutions and innovation, we are proud to support some of the most innovative and determined founders out there, allowing us to harness the significant opportunities that this intersection presents. Since July 2022, we've made substantial progress. Here’s a quick Impact Snapshot of our portfolio: 📊 Our impact focus Environmental: 8 companies building solutions in: - Climate change mitigation - Climate change adaptation - Resource efficiency & circularity Social: 7 companies creating impact in: - Health- & Femtech, advancing solutions in mental health, women’s health, reproductive health, and healthcare accessibility - Education, fostering inclusive learning and accessible educational tech for all - Equitable tech, championing technology that bridges social divides and promotes fairness 🔺 Diversity across our teams - Founding teams: 47% all-women, 33% all-men, 20% mixed teams - Board representation: 50/50% gender balance – a milestone we’re thrilled to achieve - Diversity beyond gender: 60% of our portfolio companies have at least one founder who identifies as POC 🏙️ Pan-European presence Our portfolio companies are headquartered in 9 different cities, demonstrating our strong commitment to finding and supporting impact tech across Europe. As we continue on our journey of unlocking the potential of underrepresented founders building impact tech companies with high growth potential, we look forward to seeing these numbers grow. Here’s to more progress and impact as we build the future together. Stay tuned for next year’s snapshot!

Today we're happy to announce the launch of a second phase of collaboration with Ginkgo Bioworks, Inc. Having successfully delivered several pigment producing microbial strains ready for scale-up and commercialization, this second phase seeks to optimize and prepare for scale-up additional pigment producing strains in our portfolio, providing our customers with an even broader palette of sustainable colours.

👉 We have another great week of fundraises for female founders & their teams in this weeks edition of #Unstoppable Female Founders! 💛 She is the voice of the under-represented. She is a formidable force who has set out to change the world, starting with equitable capital distribution. My Unstoppable Female Founder this week is Nora Bavey, General Partner at Unconventional Ventures. 📣 My Rant of the week was sparked from a workshop Emma Rees held for a group of female founders this week. We had a great conversation about planning for your exit from the early days of your startup and the reasons why. 🙌 The #HypeCorner has seen another strong week of incredible female founders raising capital from Pre-Seed to Series A! 🇬🇧 Ama Larbi-Siaw Co-founder of Aya Data 🇪🇸 Clara Herrera Santos Co-founder, CEO & CFO of Zexel 🇬🇧 Nina Briance Founder & CEO of CULT MIA 🇬🇧 Venetia Archer Founder & CEO of Ruuby 🇫🇷 Sandra Jernström Co-founder & CSO of Okomera 🇩🇪 Barbara Bachus) Bachus Co-founder of ExoMatter 🇧🇪 An Van Den Bulcke Co-founder & Chief Business Officer of 4Tissue 🇩🇪 Vivian Loftin & Anna Zießow Co-founders of Recyda GmbH 🇪🇸 Joana Rafael Co-founder & COO of Sensei 🇩🇪 Sophie Peter Co-founder of autarkize 🇬🇧 Katie Binley Chief Scientific Officer of ikarovec 🇩🇪 Jennifer Phan Co-founder & CEO of Passionfroot HUGE Congratulations to these founders and their teams. I love seeing so many incredible role models for the next generation of founders. Link to the full newsletter in the comments below 👇 ☀ Have a wonderful weekend everyone! ☀ ________________________________________________________________ 👋 Hi, I'm Jen, Fractional CMO and fundraising advisor 🙌 Hype-woman for female founders through Unstoppable 📩 Building something EPIC? Get in touch, I'd love to help! #femalefounder #founder #startup #femalefounder #unstoppable #fundher #growth #scale #VC #investment #fundraising #newsletter #womenintech #womeninvc #womeninleadership #SaaS #biotech #fintech #AI #climatetech

Exciting milestone from our portfolio company Kör! They’ve reached 2 million kilometres of driving data organically gathered through their app, and just launched the world’s first step towards AI-driven driving practice module with route recommendations - paving the way for safer roads by providing ratings and reviews after your session. What sets Kör apart is their real-time data labelling by domain experts, ensuring the highest quality data for training. Their platform also democratises driving education by reducing costs and breaking down language barriers, tackling transport-related social exclusion that impacts access to opportunities and services. With their first platform customer live and generating recurring revenue, Kör is poised to scale locally and internationally. We’re proud to support their mission to empower diverse communities and contribute to reducing the 1.2 million traffic deaths annually - a staggering figure for youth since 2019. And to think, this is just the beginning! cc: Nora Thea Jairo Elin

We are proud to be featured in Vogue Business for our collaboration with Patrick McDowell at #LondonFashionWeek. Octarine is on a mission to protect the source of all life, water, by transforming the way we dye our clothes. We’ve created PurePalette™ for a purer process where colours aren’t toxic, where less water and energy is used, and where both water systems and people are protected. Thank you, Vogue Business and Bella Webb, for highlighting this important initiative and partnership for a better future in the fashion industry. Read the full article at the link: https://lnkd.in/dX48VvYt #OctarineBio #PurePalette #PatrickMcDowell #LFW #SustainableFashion #SustainableDyes

This weekend, Nora shared insights and keys in Swedish industry media Breakit with focus on how to "Scale smarter, not harder: Lessons from the underestimated." The piece is all about the hidden lessons in scaling sustainably in order to reach success. It dives into how underrepresented founders have long mastered the concept of accomplishing more with less, and why this has been the case. Dive into Nora’s perspective on why working smarter is the key to growth, why often-overlooked strategies can make all the difference, and get actionable tips on how to implement these. A must-read for founders, investors, and anyone looking to rethink their approach to scaling. You can find the full piece here: https://lnkd.in/da_JG_6u Thea Jairo Elin

Vad händer om vi istället för att skala våra startups snabbt fokuserar på att skala smart – och inte bara växer för växandets skull? Om vi börjar tänka på effektivitet, innovation och hållbarhet? De mest underskattade grundarna – kvinnor, POC (people of color), och andra minoriteter, har länge varit mästare på att just skala smart. Här är anledningarna till varför de lyckats. Det skriver Nora Bavey, partner på Unconventional Ventures, i en gästkrönika.

📃Happy Sunday reading (in Swedish); Lessons Learned from Being Underestimated; As an underrepresented founder, the path is often steeper, the barriers higher. Yet, it’s from this position that we learn to approach challenges differently - out of necessity, but also with vision and resilience. In my recent column for Breakit I share five critical lessons learned from this journey, rooted in both personal experience and the remarkable entrepreneurs I’ve had the privilege to work alongside: ✅Purpose over pressure: Scaling is about intent, not just speed. ✅Resilience over hustle: True endurance comes from learning how to navigate setbacks, not just from working harder. ✅Strategic growth: Building sustainable businesses requires thinking beyond traditional playbooks - innovation often comes from those who are overlooked. 💕For every founder who has been underestimated, these lessons are a testament to your strength. The unique perspective you bring is not a disadvantage; it’s your superpower. Read more in my guest column here: https://lnkd.in/de5qSRP6