Female founders crowdfunding platform Liftwomen raises $1.3 million for Asia plans

Liftwomen the female-focused crowdfunding platform, has raised $1.3 million as it looks to expand into Asia.

The raise was led by Singapore VC Braxton Capital Ventures with support from former Alibaba Australia boss Maggie Zhou and former AXA chair Asia Gordon Watson.

The cash injection is earmarked to Asian expansion, especially Hong Kong and China, as well as increasing program capacity. The platform already has a partnership in Indonesia.

Founder and CEO Irene Tsang launched Liftwomen in 2021, receiving backing from LaunchVic’s women-focused Alice Anderson Fund the following year.

In four years the platform has launched 363 crowdfunding campaigns, and delivered more than 10,000 mentorship hours, also facilitating introductions between founders, investors and partners.

Tsang said Liftwomen is focused on giving women founders the tools, mentorship, and investment access they need to scale their businesses.

“This $1.3 million raise is an encouraging signal that closing the gender finance gap isn’t just a good cause,  it’s a huge, untapped opportunity,” she said.

“It will accelerate our growth and enable us to reach more women in more markets, empowering their zero to one entrepreneurial journey. We want to be able to support as many women as we possibly can, who may otherwise not have access to the tools necessary to grow.

“As a single mother of two starting over in Australia, I’ve seen firsthand how women are often held back by unequal access to funding and opportunities. The funding gap that currently exists is not acceptable and Liftwomen is determined to change that, empowering women to succeed on their own terms.”

Braxton Capital managing partner Douglas Hudson said Tsang and her team are building the missing pipes for women founders globally – an on-ramp from idea to investability.

“We’re thrilled to back her in this mission, and help accelerate Liftwomen expansion across Asia, particularly Southeast Asia, where our network is strongest.,” he said.

“The team has already done an impressive job in funding and coaching thousands of women and this is just the beginning. Together, we are opening pathways for more women-led ventures to start and scale.”