š How Ovom Secured Investment From Ananda Impact Ventures Through Sie Venturesā Catalyst Program: From Strategic Connections To Impactful Partnerships
Felicia von Reden, co-founder of Ovom Care, participated in Sie Venturesā fourth Catalyst program in Autumn 2023 and recently announced their ā¬4.8M Seed round, after meeting through Sie Venturesā Catalyst Program. Ananda Impact Ventures invested in Ovomās Seed Round. From our first meeting with Felicia, we knew Ovom Care was a remarkable team delivering on their mission, and weāre delighted that Zoe, Mascha, and the team at Ananda agreed! Here, Felicia and Zoe share more on this partnership and offer valuable insights for other founders on a similar path.
š¤° Transforming Fertility Care With Ovom
Ovom Care is revolutionising fertility care, utilising data insights and artificial intelligence to transform how individuals confront the challenges of becoming a parent. Their innovative approach is setting new standards in reproductive health, and their mission resonated deeply with Ananda Impact Ventures, a firm known for backing the creators of some of the worldās most impactful companies from Seed to Series A and beyond.
Zoe Peden, Partner at Ananda, has been a huge advocate of our work at Sie Ventures from day one, proactively sharing our work with her network and supporting our cohort companies as a mentor.
š£ Feliciaās Journey With Ananda Impact Ventures
From Introduction To Investment
Felicia: āThe first time I was aware that the Ananda team was in the room was during one of the pitch presentations we did with Sie Ventures. I believe Triin reached out to me in 2023 to see if it would make sense for us to join the cohort given the synergies between our company and other portfolio companies. At one of the pitching events, I met Mascha for the first time. We connected via email directly after the pitch to chat about our upcoming round ā that was at the end of 2023. Shortly after, I spoke with Zoe and the team in the midst of our clinic in London.ā
What Attracted Felicia To Work With Zoe & The Ananda Team
Felicia: āWhat attracted me to work with Zoe and the team is their dedication to reproductive care. Weāre a healthcare provider that also builds clinics, so itās not a standard SaaS business model. Ananda understood that transforming fertility medicine requires a comprehensive approach, including physical components. Their dedication to improving patient outcomes and supporting mission-driven companies was clear. Zoe is incredible with product strategy, and her involvement with our board has been tremendously helpful.ā
Sie Venturesā Role In Ovomās Fundraising Journey
Felicia: āSie Ventures helped us optimise our pitch deck and think about our data room. The biggest benefit however was introducing us to your [Sieās] network of investors. Through one of Sieās events, we actually met then Ananda.ā
Learnings From The Fundraising Process
Felicia: āFundraising is tricky ā especially at the moment. One key lesson is to be bold in understanding if you really have a fit with the investor in front of you. Itās crucial to find investors who align with your vision and can add value beyond just money. In this challenging environment, itās important to remain selective about who you bring onto your cap table.ā
Advice For Founders
Felicia: āSaying this again ā be selective about who you let on your cap table. Build your network with investors early, even before you start fundraising. Show vulnerability and transparency with your investors, and donāt be afraid to ask for help.ā
Insights From Ananda Impact Ventures
Why Felicia & The Team Stood Out
Zoe: āFelicia was a strong pitcher with a great narrative and delivery. Cristina and Lynae brought world-class careers in fertility and technology. This calibre of founding team is rare.ā
Initial Attraction To Ovom
Zoe: āMascha had been researching womenās health companies for 18 months, and we knew the fertility sector was ripe for technological advances. Feliciaās vision to change the industry excited us, especially given the founding teamās experience in successful execution and R&D.ā
First Meeting Impressions
Zoe: āIt wasnāt just the first meeting that made a difference. Multiple interactions with different team members confirmed something special was happening. They had proven foundational points and had a clear plan to replicate, improve, and expand.ā
Ovomās Unique Approach
Zoe: āOvomās approach of owning the full value chain allows them to gather comprehensive medical data, which is hard to access due to privacy concerns. Running clinics enables them to build their own fertility O/S and obtain reliable clinical results.ā
Journey From First Interaction To Investment
Zoe: āFour of us had interactions with Ovom. Mascha made initial contact after Sie Venturesā pitch day. I saw Feliciaās pitch the following week, and we expedited the investment process. I became the sponsoring Partner and eventual Board Observer.ā
āØ Sie Insights: Getting from the first call to securing an investment is never a straightforward journey. It involves multiple interactions and detailed discussions between team members on both sides of the table. Patience is crucial, as the process can be lengthy and complex. At the same time, you must be ready to react quickly and provide additional information whenever investors request it. Building strong relationships and maintaining clear communication throughout the process are key to successfully navigating this path.
Conclusion
Thank you to Felicia and Zoe for sharing their experiences. We hope to see more fruitful connections out of Sie Ventures Catalyst Programs, leading to closing funding rounds, in our future cohorts.
Applications are now open for our next Catalyst program, launching in September! Read more about our program, criteria, and previous alumni on our website! The deadline to apply is 29th July.
š„ Apply To Catalyst V Via Our Website!
āļø Recommend a Female Founder
š Weāre hosting our 3rd #SieTheFuture Office Hour on July 17th, 5pm BSTā join us to speak to the Sie Team directly and hear from Catalyst Alumna on their experiences of fundraising with Sie.
š Register Your Virtual Seat Here
If you have any questions at all, please reach out to the team on hello@sie.ventures with āSie Catalyst Vā as the subject. We look forward to reading your application and learning more about your business!
