Reflecting on International Women's Day and Celebrating the Women in our community
March 2024
International Women’s Day serves as an annual reminder to celebrate the achievements of women and to advocate for gender equality worldwide. In the realm of venture capital (VC), this day holds particular significance as it highlights the contributions of women investors, entrepreneurs, and leaders who are reshaping the landscape of innovation and investment.
At the Oregon Venture Fund and in our larger community, we are proud to work with women making an impact in our region and globally.
We currently have a nine -person team and six are women, our investment team is composed of 50% women, and our venture partner group is around 30% women. We have been working hard to increase these numbers and still have a way to go but are pleased at how far we have come.
We know gender balance enhances decision making and helps us attract and invest in women entrepreneurs. Currently, 36% of our portfolio companies were founded by women or have women CEOs.
The United Nation’s theme for International Women's Day this year is “Invest in women: Accelerate progress.” It struck a chord and started a conversation with the women in our office. We would like to acknowledge and recognize the achievements of just a few of the remarkable women in our community.
Allie Magyar, founder and CEO of Hubb, created an event management platform that automates the complex workflows & tasks required to collect, manage, and market content for conferences and large meetings. The company was acquired by Intrado in 2021.
Mei Wu-Fergus, co-founder of SmartRG, led a company that produced software, hardware, and apps to enable the connected home. The company was acquired by AdTran in 2018.
Ann Carney Nelson, co-founder of Inpria, built a company developing next-generation photoresist for extreme ultraviolet semiconductor lithography, thus enabling the world's fastest and smallest semiconductors. The company was acquired by JSR in 2021.
While building their companies and since their exits these women have been giving back to the entrepreneurial community in many ways. We are proud of their achievements and honored to have them in our community and as investors and venture partners.
As we reflect on International Women's Day, it is essential to recognize the contributions of women in venture capital and to continue advocating for greater representation and diversity within the industry. By supporting and empowering women investors and entrepreneurs, we can unlock new opportunities for innovation, drive economic growth, and create a more inclusive ecosystem for all.
Alline Akintore, Research & Diligence
Deepthi Madhava, Diligence & Investment Sourcing
Gloria Zabel, Marketing & Communications
Lynn Fletcher, Operations
Mary Geyer, Accounting & Data Management
Melissa Freeman, Capital Raising & Investor Relations