Springdale Ventures has successfully closed on $40 million in capital for its second fund to continue its mission of investing in early-stage consumer brands that are building products and solutions for better living. The fund is almost double in size from Springdale’s Fund I, which launched in 2019 and includes many returning limited partners, family offices, successful entrepreneurs, and prominent athletes. 

Springdale’s second fund builds upon the success of Fund I by continuing to pursue investments in emerging consumer brands across the food, beverage, pet, health, and beauty sectors. As an industry leader in early-stage investing, Springdale is well positioned to generate and deliver value for investors and portfolio companies by elevating the talented entrepreneurs behind them and the broader ecosystem that supports them.  

To date, Fund II has invested in 14 companies, including Big Nose Kate, the first whiskey brand to feature a female protagonist as the brand anchor. Led by a female distiller, the company has partnered with leading Hollywood actress and producer, Melissa McCarthy, and her husband, Ben Falcone. The fund has also invested in Branch, creators of inspiring and affordable office furniture, Gales, the company re-inventing shoes for the healthcare industry, BloxSnacks, a creator-led consumer brand made for Generation Alpha, and Nectar, the first Asian-inspired hard seltzer company, to name a few.

“We are extremely grateful for the trust that our investors place in us to champion early stage consumer investing as a valued asset class,” said Genevieve Gilbreath. “In the United States, almost 40% of private equity capital capitalizes software companies, leaving the consumer sector significantly underfunded, yet, the consumer market constitutes a substantial 70% of the U.S. GDP. For investors who understand the category, there is a huge white space opportunity for capital allocation within early-stage consumer brands. I’m proud that Springdale is not only leading that charge, but also giving talented founders the access and capital they need to thrive, in addition to hands-on, tangible advice from our own experiences as founders.”

Springdale was founded by serial entrepreneurs Genevieve Gilbreath and Dan Graham, who met eight years ago through the local Austin CPG angel investing community. For Gilbreath, it was a personal passion for human health, particularly how people use plant-based products for healing, that led her to the consumer products industry and ultimately the launch and exit of her own supplement company. Graham, one of Austin’s most beloved entrepreneurs, co-founded Build-A-Sign, successfully exited his company and started Notley, a mission-driven organization that aims to benefit communities through social innovation. 

“It has always been our mission at Springdale to collaborate with exceptional consumer brands who from an early-stage show signs of a great product, experienced team, passionate customer base, and attractive market opportunity,” added Dan Graham. “We could not be more proud of the over 40 companies we’ve invested in across both Fund I and Fund II, and we look forward to continuing to partner with those pioneering new ways to make people’s, and even pets’, lives better.”

Gilbreath concluded, “In 2024, we are excited to more deeply explore categories that focus on health and wellness for both people and pets as well as sustainability, and brands that are building authentic connections and community through compelling content.”