Key Takeaways
- • Bootstrap 4F has deployed its first three capital commitments from the Women Backing Women Fund of Funds following the fund's £130 million first close in March 2026, targeting a final portfolio of 20-25 venture fund investments with over 90 funds expressing interest.
- • Initial commitments include Evertrue Capital I LP (a 100% female-owned pre-seed fund led by Yvonne Bajela, former LocalGlobe investor with track record in Wise, Moove, and Marshmallow), Seedcamp VII LP, and Seedcamp Nation II LP.
- • The fund is backed by four institutional anchor limited partners: Barclays, the British Business Bank, M&G Investments, and Nationwide, positioning it as a catalyst for shifting capital allocation mechanisms toward women-led venture managers across the UK.
- • Bootstrap 4F's mandate explicitly focuses on female-led and female-owned venture capital managers, combining commercial rigor with gender-focused deployment strategy to address systemic underrepresentation of women in senior investment roles.
Summary
Bootstrap 4F, the fund manager for the Invest in Women Taskforce's Women Backing Women Fund of Funds, has announced its first active capital deployments following the fund's £130 million first close in March 2026. The three initial commitments—to Evertrue Capital I LP, Seedcamp VII LP, and Seedcamp Nation II LP—mark the beginning of what the manager expects will become a diversified portfolio of 20-25 venture fund investments drawn from a pipeline of over 90 interested funds.
The fund's structure reflects significant institutional backing. Four anchor limited partners—Barclays, the British Business Bank, M&G Investments, and Nationwide—have committed capital to support the initiative's core mandate: redirecting UK venture capital toward women-led and female-owned fund managers. According to Stephanie Heller Galantine, Managing Partner at Bootstrap 4F, the selection criteria balance commercial performance with gender-focused investment strategy. "From high potential new names to established managers, we are linking commercial rigour and our gender mandate. Our focus is on high performance and the strong potential to deliver returns," Galantine stated.
The lead investment into Evertrue Capital I LP exemplifies the fund's thesis. Evertrue is a 100% female-owned and female-led pre-seed vehicle founded by Yvonne Bajela, who brings over a decade of venture experience including a recent tenure at LocalGlobe, one of EMEA's leading seed funds. Bajela's prior investments span breakout technology companies including Wise, Moove, and Marshmallow, establishing a credible track record for institutional capital deployment.
The Women Backing Women Fund of Funds represents a structural intervention into UK capital allocation patterns, addressing documented underrepresentation of women in senior investment roles. The deployment strategy signals institutional recognition that female-led venture managers face systematic barriers to fundraising despite demonstrated investment performance, making a dedicated fund of funds vehicle a mechanism for both capital access and market normalization.
The fund's structure reflects significant institutional backing. Four anchor limited partners—Barclays, the British Business Bank, M&G Investments, and Nationwide—have committed capital to support the initiative's core mandate: redirecting UK venture capital toward women-led and female-owned fund managers. According to Stephanie Heller Galantine, Managing Partner at Bootstrap 4F, the selection criteria balance commercial performance with gender-focused investment strategy. "From high potential new names to established managers, we are linking commercial rigour and our gender mandate. Our focus is on high performance and the strong potential to deliver returns," Galantine stated.
The lead investment into Evertrue Capital I LP exemplifies the fund's thesis. Evertrue is a 100% female-owned and female-led pre-seed vehicle founded by Yvonne Bajela, who brings over a decade of venture experience including a recent tenure at LocalGlobe, one of EMEA's leading seed funds. Bajela's prior investments span breakout technology companies including Wise, Moove, and Marshmallow, establishing a credible track record for institutional capital deployment.
The Women Backing Women Fund of Funds represents a structural intervention into UK capital allocation patterns, addressing documented underrepresentation of women in senior investment roles. The deployment strategy signals institutional recognition that female-led venture managers face systematic barriers to fundraising despite demonstrated investment performance, making a dedicated fund of funds vehicle a mechanism for both capital access and market normalization.
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