Founding a startups like speed running a game with the difficulty set to “unwinnable” and half the instructions in invisible ink.
You’re writing your own job description, managing impostor syndrome like it’s a full-time role and politely dodging bad advice from investors. So, founders are pushing through the crowd and making their way to Startmate Collective. They’re slipping in through the side door and they’re staying, because something strange happens inside: they start breathing again.
It’s not that the Collective is magic. It’s that it’s real. No fluff. Just useful stuff from people who get it.
You’ll hear about fundraising in a way that doesn’t make you want to dissolve. You’ll watch another member take a term sheet you passed on and double her valuation. You’ll see someone pitch live and flop, then regroup and stand up again. You’ll hear words like conviction and traction and burn and feel less alone hearing them. Let me paint you some quick scenes.
Scene 1 ⚡
A founder joins her first peer group catchup. She’s got 11 months runway and a cofounder who might quit. Everyone else has their own version of that same story. One is solo and looking for a technical lead. One just pivoted her entire business and is faking confidence. They laugh about how chaotic it is. Then they swap notes on whats working and whats not.
Scene 2 🖼️
Someone shares they’ve decided to leave their senior role. “A great role but it’s really not the right fit for me anymore.” No performative optimism, no pretending. Just: “I’ve decided to walk away.” The reactions pour in. Not pity, not platitudes, but fierce, genuine respect from their peer group. “You built something meaningful. The impact you’ve had to your team is immeasurable. That’s what matters.” A few weeks later, she posts again. “Just got offered a Head of Product role through someone in the Startmate Collective network. Starting next Monday.”
Startmate Collective (fka. Ladymates) was built because too many women were trying to build in a vacuum. We’ve backed 300+ startups and we are ready to believe in founders who are ready to go further, faster. Startmate Collective is a flywheel - a place where early momentum starts to compound, where tiny pivots turn into real growth, where conviction gets louder and where community and building alongside other women accelerates growth.
We’ve seen what early belief can do. And we’re not just here to watch; we’re here to help you go big.
Applications for Startmate Collective are closing for 2025. Come join us 🚀🥳🎉
