The European Investment Fund (EIF) said it has invested €30 million in Sistafund, a venture capital fund dedicated to supporting startups led by women entrepreneurs and gender-balanced teams.
“With a target of €100 million, Sistafund is adopting an inclusive, gender-diverse approach to venture capital investing, addressing the significant financing gap faced by female startup founders across Europe,” said the EIF.
“The fund specifically invests in companies where women hold at least 30% of the founder shares.
“The Sistafund team will operate independently through its newly formed management company, Sunshine, whose mission is to combat societal biases.
“Leveraging the extensive entrepreneurial network of its partners and of the Sista NGO, a non-profit co-founded by one of the fund’s partners, Sistafund is poised to foster greater inclusion in the venture capital space.”
Sistafund focuses on four key sectors: health tech, sustainability (economic, social and environmental), frontier tech (artificial intelligence and deep tech), and inclusive fintech and insurtech.
Sistafund seeks to identify category leaders in Europe from the earliest stages (PreSeed to Series A) and provides them with tailored resources to enhance their growth and performance – most notably with access to a selected network of experts.
Since its launch about 18 months ago, Sistafund has supported seven companies, including The Exploration Company (spacetech), Astran (cybersecurity) and Female Invest (fintech and edtech). With backing from partners including BNP Paribas, Française Des Jeux (FDJ) and L’Oréal, as well as leading European entrepreneurs, Sistafund’s portfolio benefits from hands-on expertise and mentorship.
“The support of the European Investment Fund marks a major milestone in our journey,” said Sistafund Founder and Managing Partner of Tatiana Jama.
“We are redefining venture capital by backing female founders and gender-balanced teams. We are unlocking the untapped potential of women entrepreneurs and setting a powerful example for future generations across Europe and beyond.
“This is the first of many funds committed to fostering diversity, proving that inclusive teams will be a crucial element in driving innovation forward.”
Sistafund Managing Partner Isabelle Gallo said: “We have a unique opportunity to demonstrate that investing in diversity pays off, as many studies have suggested already.
“We’re not narrowing our dealflow pool; instead, we’re adding an additional criterion to define what makes an exceptional team: just as we evaluate a team’s potential based on their grit and profound drivers, we equally prioritise diversity as a crucial factor for success.
“By investing as early as possible and taking significant stakes from the onset, we ensure that we put our money where our mouth is and that diversity becomes a cornerstone of our portfolio companies’ growth stories.”
EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle said: “The EIF’s commitment and support for Sistafund is fully in line with the EIB Group’s approach of promoting parity, which is a key element in the transformation of economies to a fairer and more inclusive model.
“Gender equality contributes to positive societal change and to attracting quality investors who care about their social impact. Integrating gender into the strategy of startups is not just a question of equity, but also a strategic approach that can lead to sustainable success.”
EIF Chief Executive Marjut Falkstedt said: “Supporting Sista reflects our strong commitment to gender equality and is in perfect alignment with the EIF and InvestEU’s objectives of promoting diverse venture capital teams and entrepreneurship. This will in turn serve to strengthen the entire European venture capital ecosystem by increasing gender diversity at all levels.”