Navigating the fundraising landscape can be tough for emerging managers, particularly VC firms on their first to third funds.
However, Katie Jacobs Stanton, the former head of media at Twitter and founder of Moxxie Ventures in 2019, shared that her experience raising funds for the third time was surprisingly smooth.
Moxxie Ventures, dedicated to investing in pre-seed and seed startups, recently announced the successful closure of a $95 million third fund, surpassing its initial target of $85 million.
During the fundraising process, Stanton and her partner Alex Roetter assured limited partners that the capital raised wouldn’t be deployed until 2025. Their LPs, including Cendana Capital, Accolade Partners, the Nature Conservatory, Global Endowment Management, and various universities, eagerly supported the firm. Cendana founder Michael Kim praised Stanton’s extensive network among seed stage investors.
In spite of not having significant exits yet, Stanton’s previous success in personal investing through #Angels reflects her investment acumen. Notable investments include Carta, Coinbase, and Airtable.
Moxxie Ventures focuses on supporting underrepresented founders, with about a third of its portfolio companies led by female founders and half founded by BIPOC individuals. The firm gravitates towards investments in healthtech, climate tech, SaaS, AI applications, and robotics startups like Jacobi Robotics.
Stanton, known for her political activism, believes that the current trend of VCs being more transparent about their political views is positive. She sees this transparency as beneficial for founders looking for investors who align with their values and can provide more than just capital.
