In this edition of Coffee with Calyptus, we sit down with Jess McCarten, a driving force at Sie Ventures who transitioned from the world of the creator economy into high impact venture capital. Jess shares her expertise on closing the funding gap for female-led startups and reveals how Sie Ventures is leveraging a commercially-driven thesis to back the next generation of diverse founders. From the cutting edge of AI-driven women’s health to the practical realities of juggling motherhood with a scaling investment firm, Jess provides a masterclass in building a career with purpose.
You made a bold transition from the music and creator economy world at TikTok and The Rattle into impact VC. Can you please share your story around that pivotal moment and why impact venture capital was where you wanted to be?
It was definitely a career whiplash moment, at least for colleagues and friends. In Jan 2020, I had a health-tech idea focused on helping women and girls access sexual health services wherever, whenever. I even spoke to a doctor (who was also a musician) about it and, somewhat comically, emailed a GP at a fund we’ve since co-invested with at Sie, who I’d met at a baby shower (and to be fair, she did reply). Then March 2020 came and the world changed, and like many people I was lucky to have a job at all, so I immersed myself in women’s health (attending online events, having virtual coffees and building a network).
In early 2021, while still at The Rattle, I saw Sie Ventures launch and immediately felt aligned: my background in community-building, program design and supporting founders mapped directly to Sie’s mission of backing female-led businesses, including across women’s health, even though they weren’t hiring at the time. I joined TikTok - partly because it was TikTok, partly to learn how these big tech machines work but when Sie posted their first hire, I jumped for it. I had also met Gabbi Cahane (Stride VC) along the way who kindly referred me to Triin and as soon as I met her, I just knew Sie would be both purposeful and successful, thankfully, I was right.
Supporting women-led tech companies means you're fighting against the reality that only 2% of VC funding goes to female founders. What's the most frustrating barrier you've encountered in trying to change this, and how are you tackling it? Tell us more about Sie’s thesis.
I think the statistic itself can be a frustrating barrier because it so often becomes the headline when women-led companies are mentioned. Of course it matters, but at Sie we focus on what we see every day: women getting funded, building exceptional businesses and delivering well above-average mark-ups across our own portfolio.
We’re deliberate about working with both male and female facilitators, VCs, angels, EIRs and mentors across our programs, because investing in women leads to better outcomes for everyone, commercially as well as socially. Our content and support are designed for mixed teams too and we actively support male co-founders within these teams.
Ultimately, our thesis around backing women-led companies is commercially driven. McKinsey reported in 2023 that founders with greater gender and ethnic diversity achieve around 30% higher returns for investors at exit, and three years into investing through the Sie Syndicate, we’re already seeing early signs of those outcomes in our own portfolio.
Sie Ventures has invested in numerous AI startups. Which AI applications or vertical are you most excited about right now, and where do you think AI is being overhyped or misapplied?
It won’t surprise you that I’m most excited about the potential of AI in women’s health, particularly across gynaecological and reproductive health - areas that have been historically underserved.
What’s exciting now is seeing this translate into real, scalable solutions. For example, Ovom Care, a German-based fertility tech company that participated in our 3rd Catalyst program, uses AI-driven diagnostics across embryo, egg and uterine intelligence to personalise IVF treatment and improve patient outcomes.
We also invested in Emm, a UK femtech company building a smart menstrual cup and biowearable platform that helps women better understand their cycles and spot health issues earlier through data. What excites me most is AI’s ability to enable highly personalised, preventative care in areas that are often clinically and emotionally complex. Where I’m less excited is consumer AI applications designed primarily to drive consumption rather than deliver meaningful impact.
You became a mother while scaling Sie Ventures. What are some of the biggest life hacks you’ve learned for juggling both family life and career ambition? Do you have advice for other parents starting their entrepreneurial journey?
This is a great question. Life hacks really depend on your personal situation but for us a simple wipeable weekly calendar on the fridge is essential. Every Sunday we look at the week ahead, divide up drop-offs and pick-ups and try to carve out a bit of time for ourselves too (e.g gym, seeing friends etc). At Sie we receive a huge volume of event invites, meeting requests and introductions so learning to politely decline where needed has been important. One small but meaningful habit for me is walking to do drop-off or pick-up when I can - it helps me decompress and switch from work to mum. And the obvious one that most parents talk about - no phones between 6 and 7.30pm. You only get a short window with your child each day, so make it count.
In terms of broader advice, everyone is figuring it out as they go and you’ll often feel pulled in different directions (especially when “part-time” isn’t really an option). You have to choose what’s right for you and your family. Above all, and speaking from experience, your family feeds off your energy, so on the hard days it’s worth asking yourself: how would you really feel if you gave it all up for a more (on the surface) secure job? If you think this would help you, do it, but there’s a reason you started the business in the first place.
We hope you enjoyed this edition of Coffee with Calyptus. Stay curious, stay inspired, and keep building what matters. Explore more editions and insightful articles below.
