As the number of women funding their business startups with VC capital is increasing, but still low compared with the number of women starting companies and the number of funding deals, we are always happy to point out funding deals of women led companies. Last week, Emily Olson, chief-Foodie and co-founder of San Fransisco based Foodzie raised 1 million USD capital for her marketplace of specialty foods (sort of the Etsy of artisan food producers). Investors are Jeff Clavier at SoftTech VC, First Round Capital, and angel investors.

Emily pursued the idea and started the company as part of the 2008 TechStars incubator program, together with Nik Bauman (CTO) and Rob LaFave (Business Development+ Design). At Techstarts it basically meant for them that they got 18,000 USD (6,000 per founder) as seed capital to start a business and the chance to pitch their startup after a mentoring program to 150 angel and VC investors. In return Techstarts got 6% equity. Executive Director David Cohen said that Foodzie had the progress, passion, and dedication to get into the program, where last years almost 400 companies applied. Jeff Clavier, now an investor in Foodzie was one of the mentors of Foodzie in the program.

A video with Foodzie: