Dear Entrepreneurs, Investors and Friends,

In this season of thankfulness and gratitude, we are thrilled to share an exciting announcement and some impressive news from our portfolio companies.

Let's start with the announcement of Slumberkins joining the WomensVCFund ll family of companies. Led by two dynamic co-founders, the organization was created to crack the social-emotional learning space for young children through skill-building books and plush creatures that kids love. The company has demonstrated real market traction as well as an avid following of parents on social media. Slumberkins will be televised as a live-action puppet preschool series from The Jim Henson Company.

In other portfolio news:
 

The Dyrt was the first to build community in the camping vertical, and today is valued by millions of outdoor enthusiasts as a valuable and trusted resource. The company recently closed its Series B raise to significantly expand its team and capitalize on the widespread and growing interest in camping and RVs among Americans.

Work Truck Solutions is skillfully navigating the chip shortage and other supply chain challenges to establish its digital marketing leadership in the commercial vehicle industry. The company is the recipient of the 2021 Automotive News PACE award, recognizing the organization’s superior innovation, technological advancement, and business performance amongst suppliers.

HopSkipDrive experienced its best quarter yet as schools reopened across the country. With significant new contracts in Los Angeles, Seattle, Denver and the Bay Area and a flood of inbound requests for expansion from districts around the country, the company is well positioned to increase share in the student transport market. Management estimates that HopSkipDrive can save the average school district more than $2M per year, cut transit times in half, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40%.

Newsela has had another banner year and is making strategic investments with its $100M Series D funding to further penetrate large school districts across the U.S., deepen its curriculum offering, and enhance the platform’s functionality. Newsela has earned its place as a leader in the rapidly growing K-12 edtech market at a time when funding for curriculum purchasing has increased exponentially.

Materna Medical achieved a major milestone this week with FDA clearance of its pelvic health device, Milli. The company can now advance Milli as a vaginal dilator for treatment of chronic pain conditions as well as associated pain during intercourse. The product is a major step forward for patients to access reliable treatment in the comfort of their own homes.

And as the world’s attention is finally turning to the ramifications of climate change, the market is mobilizing behind Aclima and its hyperlocal measurements of air pollutants. Given Aclima’s technology platform and dataset, combined with its visionary leadership and key stakeholder relationships, the company is now poised to scale as budgets for national and state climate projects increase significantly.

Our management team and limited partners feel privileged to invest in and support our remarkable group of portfolio companies and their leaders. Their bold vision and skillful execution set them apart and demonstrate the talent and returns of diverse and inclusive leadership to move our country ahead at this particularly critical juncture.

From all of us at WomensVCFund II, thank you for your shared commitment and enthusiasm.
 

Edy, Susan, Bukie, Rachel and Warren