Even Newsletter May 2024
We've launched our monthly newsletter!
This is a monthly roundup of insights, opportunities, and updates on the latest in the startup world and women’s entrepreneurship. With so much happening, we know it can be tough to stay in the loop, so we're here to make it a bit easier for you by bringing forward only the hottest and most relevant content. Our first edition landed in subscribers' inboxes last Friday, and here's a sneak peek into what they were reading about.
Subscribe to our monthly round-up by signing up here.
What’s up from Even Founders
Zero to One - Becoming an entrepreneur
Last week marked the kickoff of our Zero-to-One event series for the year, joined by Cecilie Hvidberg Jakobsen from Wawa Fertility and Stine Kalmer Jørgensen from Dreamplan. We hope you had as much fun attending as we did! For those who couldn’t make it, here are 3 inspiring takeaways from the speakers which really resonated with us:
- Just do things! And show them to others earlier than you think.
- Should you take the leap and become a founder? Yes, it’s hard work but it’s also soo much fun.
- Use your network! Most founders want to support each other through community, introductions, and encouragement.
We’re already preparing our next events, so if you have in mind any speaker or theme that you’d love to hear about, share your thoughts here.
We’re opening up applications for the Mentors and Cheerleaders Program
Being a founder is anything but easy- usually it's a journey filled with twists, turns, and more than a few roadblocks. Sometimes, what you really need is just a pep talk, a fresh perspective, and a reminder of why you started this journey in the first place. We run our Startup School program twice a year and from there we will select the most committed and engaged participants and match them with mentors!
If you have founder experience or experience working in a startup, and you want to support early-stage founders on their journey, then you are a perfect match! Submit your profile.
Co-founder matchmaking database
We’re getting ready to launch our co-founder matchmaking feature on our website and you’re the first to know before it goes live. Many founders in our community are looking for a co-founder, and we want to help make those connections happen. Whether you’re a founder seeking a co-founder or someone who wants to join a startup as a co-founder, this is for you! The sign-ups for our community are already open.
This month’s hot potatoes
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Global female income will reach $29.3T by 2026, up from $23.2T in 2020.
As women gain more financial power, they tend to invest in areas that matter to them, such as women's health, education, and social impact initiatives. This means we can expect to see more startups and businesses focusing on these crucial sectors and driving change that benefits society as a whole. Increased female income also translates to greater financial independence and decision-making power, paving the way for a more equitable and inclusive economy.
Women-founded Nordic startups generate on average 45% more revenue per euro invested than their male counterparts.
Women-owned businesses may receive less VC funding, but they actually bring in higher revenues and provide a better return on investment compared to businesses owned by men. There are a few reasons for this. Women founders often have to meet higher standards to secure funding, leading to stronger business plans, and they tend to emphasize efficiency and collaboration. This means investing in women-led startups isn't just fair—it's a smart move that can bring in a lot of money and make a big impact on society.
When individuals start thinking about starting a family, a range of entrepreneurial opportunities emerges to support them in this significant life decision. One avenue is providing options for conceiving, including fertility tracking devices, ovulation kits, and resources for optimizing fertility health through lifestyle changes. Additionally, addressing reproductive health disorders such as endometriosis presents an opportunity for startups to develop innovative treatments and support services. Egg freezing technologies have also gained popularity, providing individuals with the option to preserve their fertility for the future.
This might be relevant for you
EUSIC seeks social impact entrepreneurs this year
The European Social Innovation Competition (EUSIC) 2024 is here, focusing on Digital Democracy. If you have an entrepreneurial solution to address urgent social needs, foster social connections, and provide effective solutions to systemic social challenges, this competition might be for you. It is open to everyone, whether you’re an entrepreneur, run a social enterprise, work in corporate social responsibility, or are part of an NGO and CSO. Just a heads-up, the deadline to apply is already June 11th! Read more.
Article by TechCrunch
If there's one article from May worth reading over your morning coffee, it's likely this piece from Techcrunch. When you are an early-stage founder, you sometimes feel that you just have to take what you get. But that’s not the case. Always make sure you understand the consequences of joining accelerators, especially those that charge founders money, and require equity or warrants. Read more.
CBS project addressing entrepreneurial inequalities
What challenges do founders – some more than others – face when launching and scaling their startups? Researchers from Copenhagen Business School invite you to answer this survey as part of a large-scale project on inequalities in entrepreneurship. With only 15 minutes of your time, you can help identify what needs to be done to level the playing field and support many other founders in the future. If you participate, you may also win a 1,000 DKK Amazon voucher! Join the survey.
Funded!
We are trying to change the narrative around women founders, and the continued focus on how little money women receive. Let’s start talking more about the amazing companies they are building!
Denmark:
Deby Fapyane and Isabel Álvarez-Martos from Cellugy have raised €4.9M to develop eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastics. Their focus is on creating a sustainable bio-cellulose material that aims to reduce environmental impact.
Another Danish startup Commit Biologics, headed by Heidi Gytz Olesen, has launched with a €16M seed financing round from leading life sciences investors Bioqube Ventures and Novo Holdings. This is a huge step forward for their innovative work in activating the complement system to kill specific target cells, with applications in cancers and autoimmune diseases
Sweden:
Vendela Ragnarsson recently raised $800K for Ribbn from US-based investors Switch VC and Abo Ventures. Ribbn is an AI-powered commerce platform designed for resale entrepreneurs, secondhand stores, and global retail brands looking to enter the resale market.
Wrapping up our list for May, Susanna Campbell, a co-founder of Syre has announced the signing of a $100M Series A. The funding round was led by founding investor TPG Rise Climate and included additional investments from H&M Group, Giant Ventures, IMAS Foundation, Norrsken VC, and Volvo Cars. Syre is leading the green transition from a linear to a circular value chain by putting textile waste to use, over and over again.
That's all for today! Share your thoughts with us and feel free to drop us a message if you have anything on your mind that you'd like us to cover next month.
Until next time!
Jasmina from Even Founders
