As in the natural world, there are ecosystems in business that require many elements working simultaneously for the ecosystem to function properly. The startup ecosystem relies on many partners, which include various types of organizations and individuals. Of these partners, the venture capital firms are probably most important due to their funding, expertise and guidance they contribute. There is a true symbiotic relationship between the startups and VCs that is essential for their survival and for the greater health of the ecosystem.

We find ourselves more and more immersed in this lively ecosystem with each startup and VC that we work or interface with. It has become apparent that the most valuable network for 15 Finches to meet promising startups is through the venture capitalists who are meeting, analyzing and vetting thousands of companies annually. Over time, our relationships with VCs in particular has led to incredible startup founder introductions which, in turn, has grown into fruitful startup partnerships.

When we were introduced to the co-founders of Women in VC (shoutout Jessica Peltz and Sutian Dong), an organization that maintains an online directory for women in venture capital, we were thrilled. The opportunity to help brand, design and build a digital hub for an underrepresented demographic in the industry aligns perfectly with our company values. We’ve witnessed the lack of female representation in our own experience working with the venture capital industry and felt that this would be a great opportunity to help foster this important group of women who are investing in and building the next generation of game-changing companies. The strength of the overall ecosystem would be stronger with more women VCs and women founders. The disparity in this industry motivated us to offer our services for the project free of charge.

Our work with Women in VC

Women in VC is an inspiring platform because it encourages mentorship, collaboration, and recruiting, and also, offers a unique, overarching perspective on the current state of women working in venture capital. At the time of the website launch, the Women in VC community included 2,400+ women across 1,400 venture funds, 130+ cities, and 53 countries (numbers increasing daily) and it has been growing rapidly ever since.

If you’re a woman in VC and would like to join this community please sign up on Women in VC.

Prior to starting the branding process, we spent some time chatting with the founders about the vision for the future and identity of Women in VC. We listened to the founders’ thoughts on the identity of this community and how it should be represented as a brand and digital experience. After a number of branding exercises, color options and website wireframes, we settled on the current design. It’s warm and inviting, but professional and to the point with a focus on the statistics.

It was a privilege to be able to work with an organization as impactful as Women in VC and with the founders who are so passionate about their community. Digging through the statistics and contributors’ testimonials, we learned even more about the vital role played by the directory. There’s still a long way to go, but there’s a bright future for women working in venture capital. We’re proud to have worked with an organization bringing it that much closer.

The Place of 15 Finches in the Startup Ecosystem

By establishing meaningful connections with Women in VC and venture capital groups with inclusive portfolios, we’re working to keep our place within the startup ecosystem connected and fruitful. We're here to help VCs extend their reach, establish stronger communities and build upon their missions. This support naturally lends itself to connections with startups who are solving important problems. Our goal on the other side of this ecosystem is to help startups adapt, build and propel growth. This, in turn, benefits the health of the overall ecosystem because when the startups we work with grow it directly benefits the VCs that invest in them.

We’ve been working to further drive our niche within the startup ecosystem by creating a unique partnership model in order to offer the best early-stage businesses access to an array of services over time (creative, development and product), adjusting to ever-changing needs while minimizing the burn rate. In short, we help our startup partners focus on the thing that matters most - keeping cash in the bank while delivering world-class creative services. And with an appropriate exchange of equity, we create an incentivized partnership where we become an important and necessary extension of your team over time. Having worked with many startups before, we found this to be a very beneficial relationship built on constant alignment and harmonized goals. We’re accepting applications to the partnership program here.

We look forward to continuing to work within this incredible ecosystem, enriching our place and forging stronger relationships with VCs and the next generation of great startup companies.

About Us

15 Finches a startup-focused creative studio with a rich history of executing high-quality branding, marketing campaigns, web design, web development, UI/UX and product strategy for B2B and B2C startups.

Interested in working with us?