Funds managed
| Fund name | Asset Class | License |
| AWE Early Growth Fund I | Pre series A & series A | |
| AWE Seed Fund I | Seed Fund |
About the AMC
- Founded by Seema Chaturvedi.
- Achieving Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) Early Growth Trust is registered with SEBI under AIF cat 2.
Key staff
- Seema Chaturvedi, Founder & MP, she has over 20 years of capital markets and financial management experience. She has guided middle market companies in defining growth trajectories and implementing financial strategies to create stakeholder value. As an entrepreneur, investment banker and investor, she brings a unique perspective to the strategic planning and investment process. she was founder and managing director of Accelerator Group, LLC, an investment banking and strategic advisory services firm. Prior to this, she has worked with Amherst Partners, LLC, Shearson Lehman and JM Financial Services (later JM Morgan Stanley-Indian affiliate of Morgan Stanley). She was elected to the Global Board of Trustees of TiE Global as the first woman member of the Board. She holds a Masters degree in Finance from Boston College and an undergraduate degree with honors in Economics from Lady Shri Ram College of the Delhi University in India.
- Prachi Jain, Director, prior to joining AWE Funds, Prachi was a core team member of SEAF India Agribusiness Fund I and Fund II and played a pivotal role in fund structuring and setting up these funds.
Investment Philosophy (for firm)
“We are looking to invest in businesses that are owned, led or influenced by women.
Specifically, we are looking for:
- experienced teams with a strong preference for women in leadership positions
- Large, growing markets
- Defensible products/solutions
- Capital efficient models
- Strong potential for return
The typical investments will be $500,000 to $2 million in initial rounds with the total amount being $500,000 to $5 million after follow-on investments.
AWE Growth Fund I – “We make initial investments at the Pre-Series A to Series A stage. We need to see demonstrated proof of concept, established product market fit and prefer revenue-generating companies seeking capital to accelerate their growth. We will make follow-on investments in our portfolio companies on a deal-by-deal basis.”
“We are sector agnostic and will look at all interesting businesses with the exclusion of real estate and infrastructure. We are excited about evaluating companies that can include technology or innovation in their products or services.”
AWE Seed Fund I- “AWE Seedfund I is investing in businesses owned by women entrepreneurs who seek to raise seed funds from $5,000 to $50,000.”
Project AIRSWEEE (All India Road Show for Women Economic Empowerment through Entrepreneurship), a US State department funded capacity building project was founded & led by AWE Fund’s founder, Ms. Seema Chaturvedi.
AIRSWEEE 1.0-Project AIRSWEE mentored 125 women entrepreneurs from 27 cities in India
AIRSWEEE 2.0-Received funding second year to mentor 450 women entrepreneurs from 30 cities in India
Media
Title: Opportunities in She Economy, Source: Kerala Start up, Date: 28 December 2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=K9ufyDe-zNs&feature=emb_logo
AWE invests in businesses not just led and owned by women but where even the market and supply chain is made up by women. Empirical evidence suggests that portfolio company perform 35% better when they have gender neutral board, because it promotes diversity of thoughts. Women get less than 3% of VC funding because they are not taken seriously, they face this need for perfection issue before approaching market for money. Women invest 80% of their earning in the community and family, while men invest only 20% of their earning in the same.
Title: U.S. Consul General Robert Burgess In Conversation With Seema Chaturvedi, Source: US General Consul, Date: 2017
Women entrepreneurs face gender bias and lack of recognition of this problem. They have undertaken dignity pledge signed by 150 women wanting equality. AWE fund 1will provide $25 million to early stage startups
Title: Accelerator group set a fund for India’s women, Source: CNBC Awaaz, Date: 2017
Discussed AIRSWEE program led by the accelerator group and TIE global which provides mentorship to women entrepreneurs from tier 2 and 3 cities.
Analyst questions
- What is the impact that you have created so far with the fund?
- What are the area were you contribute your expertise to help these women led businesses?
- Women founders in 2018 got only 2% of VC funding, why is it so?
- What are the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs all across the world?
- AWE funds invest in early stage startup, then why did you get AIF cat 2 license, why not AIF cat 1?
- Tell me about your investors, where are you raising the money from, for this fund? What return should they expect while investing in this fund?
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