Victress Capital is Now Visible Ventures
New Name. Same Vision. Introducing Visible Ventures.
Victress Capital — now Visible Ventures — was founded on the simple premise that there is value in diversity. In striving to create a more equitable startup ecosystem, we were driven by a desire to level the playing field for generations of entrepreneurs to come and by our shared conviction, supported by a growing body of research, that diverse teams are better-positioned to serve consumers and drive more successful outcomes.
Since 2016, when we made our first investment, the business case for diversity has only become more compelling. McKinsey has found companies in the top quartile for gender or racial and ethnic diversity are more likely to have higher financial returns — and that this gulf is widening over time.
The name Victress Capital, referencing “a woman who is victorious,” differentiated us out of the gate at a time when fewer than 11% of venture capital firms were female-led and companies founded by women received just 2% of the capital invested in startups each year. In the consumer industry, where our team has decades of collective experience investing, operating, and advising, the gender gap was (and remains) particularly striking given that women make 85% of purchase decisions.
Our new name, Visible Ventures, highlights our ongoing commitment to bring visibility to entrepreneurs from a kaleidoscopic array of underrepresented communities. One hundred percent of the teams in our portfolio are gender-diverse, and 74% have a woman founder or co-founder. But our vision for a diverse startup ecosystem has always been expansive; currently, 50% of our teams have a founder who is Black, Indigenous, or a person of color, 35% percent have a founder who is a first-generation immigrant, and 10% have a founder who identifies as LGBTQ+.
These teams are boldly unlocking new opportunities, often by addressing the unmet needs of neglected consumer segments. They are building superior customer experiences and the technologies that power them, across verticals including digital health and wellness, education and enrichment, future of commerce, lifestyle, and media and entertainment. They bring passion, resiliency, and authentic perspectives to everything they do — from shaping values-driven cultures to satisfying consumers’ evolving demands. The most rewarding part of what we do is working hand in hand with them to scale their businesses strategically and efficiently, and to make a difference in this world. Our Seed and Series A investments present attractive return potential for our investors while also producing a multiplier effect, in which today’s overlooked founders become tomorrow’s funders.
We stand next to our founders only by standing on the shoulders of our investors, who represent some of the world’s leading institutions, foundations, family offices, and technology companies. We remain eternally grateful to these visionary thought leaders, who share our deep belief in the value of diversity and our conviction that actions speak louder than words.
We are Visible Ventures. We see you.
Visible Ventures is an early-stage consumer venture capital firm that invests in bold, diverse teams that build superior consumer experiences and the technologies that power them. Visible Ventures has offices in Boston and New York City. Learn more about Visible Ventures here, pitch us here, and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter. We can’t wait to meet you.
