Financing Opportunity
SPRINGBOARD FUND: Women Entrepreneur Business Opportunity Fund
Company Description
Springboard Fund (“SBF”) has been formed by a team of seasoned professionals with extensive experience in identifying promising high growth companies run by women entrepreneurs. SBF will invest in companies that have undergone the rigorous screening process by Springboard Enterprises (“SBE”). SBE was founded and launched by Kay Koplovitz in 2000 as a non-profit dedicated to accelerating women entrepreneurs’ access to the equity markets. In 14 years, SBE has become the gold standard for financing women entrepreneurs and their companies.
SBF is being formed to invest in companies that have been through SBE’s Accelerator program. The SBF Team is comprised of Kay Koplovitz, Amy Wildstein, and Whitney Johnson. The team has experience working together, and the core team has been extensively involved with SBE since inception.
Overview of Springboard Fund
Management
Kay Koplovitz: Founder, USA Network, sold for $4.5 billion in 1998; founder of Springboard Enterprises in 2000; founder of Boldcap Ventures in 2001; former Chairman of Liz Clairborne.
Amy Wildstein: Founder and Fund Manager of Boldcap Ventures since 2001; previously Principal of Solera Capital and private equity investor at Morgan Stanley and The Blackstone Group.
Whitney Johnson: Founder, Clay Christensen investment firm; Institutional Investor-ranked equity analyst at Merrill Lynch, Management Thinkers50 short list, 2013 .
Investment Highlights
Targeting $50 million to invest in 20 to 25 women-led companies, principally those who have been through the SBE program.
Focus on Media/Technology and Life Sciences.
Proven track record over 14 years.
SBF leverages a highly-vetted expert network of innovators, investors and influencers who are dedicated to building high-growth technology-oriented companies led by women.
Proven Track Record
545 companies have come through the SBE program to date.
83% of companies have successfully raised capital and continue to grow.
Over 14 years, 80% of the companies are still operational.
Liquidity percentage is 35%, well ahead of Techstars’ 27%, and double the national average of 17%, including 10 IPOs.
SBE alums include well-known companies, such as Zipcar, Constant Contact, Cyota, iRobot, Minute Clinic, and Geomagic.
Over 400 VC funds, (including Greycroft, Softbank, Battery Ventures, Doll Capital Management, NEA, Bain, Accel) have invested in SBE companies.
Springboard companies have raised $6.2 billion in equity financing, including 10 IPOs, have created tens of thousands
Market Opportunity
Successful VC-backed companies have on average 2x more women in the highest ranks. (Dow Jones)
VCs that invest in women-led companies outperform those that don’t. (SBA)
And yet…less than 9% of venture funding goes to women. (Kauffman Foundation)
This is the SBF opportunity.
Springboad Fund will leverage the deal flow and brand name of Springboard Enterprises with its 14-year record of accelerating women-led high growth companies.
Financing/Investment Opportunity of Springboard Fund
Invest alongside successful entrepreneurial women.
The “go to network” for women entrepreneurs for more than a decade – unique deal flow.
Leverage rigorous screening process of Springboard Enterprises, which has selected 545 companies from 4,000+ applications since 2000 – qualified deal flow.
Springboard Fund will have the opportunity to choose from the “best of the field” when investing.
RSVP deadline is past