Organization · Micro VC
adastra.ventures
Ad Astra Ventures is a San Diego-based venture capital firm that focuses on empowering female founders through early-stage investments and tailored support. Founded in 2018, it aims to address gender biases in entrepreneurship.
Overview
What adastra.ventures does
What adastra.ventures is
Ad Astra Ventures is a San Diego-based venture capital firm that focuses on empowering female founders through early-stage investments and tailored support. Founded in 2018, it aims to address gender biases in entrepreneurship.
How it participates in the startup ecosystem
The current public profile supports funder and community capabilities. Each capability below is shown separately so organization identity and role-specific information do not get conflated.
Operational profile
Organization status and context
Organization status describes the entity itself. Funding and program availability appear within the relevant capability profile.
- Operational status
- Active
- Organization type
- Micro VC
- Founded
- Founded in 2018
- Approximate age
- About 8 years
- Structured capabilities
- Funder · Community
- Last reviewed
- April 9, 2026
Official channels
Find adastra.ventures elsewhere
Open the official website or a supported primary organization account.
Capability profile
adastra.ventures as a funder
Investment thesis
Ad Astra Ventures focuses on empowering female founders through capital, expertise, and resources, addressing gender biases in entrepreneurship.
Focus narrative
Ad Astra Ventures invests in female-led companies at various stages, including Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A. Their funding ranges from $25,000 to $50,000, depending on the company's stage. The organization emphasizes a practical approach to funding, blending capital raising with revenue generation, and focuses on sectors such as SaaS, women's health, consumer products, sustainability, and med tech.
Value beyond capital
Ad Astra Ventures provides significant value to its portfolio companies through a unique combination of capital investment and operational support. Their bootcamp program helps female founders identify their strengths and prepare for fundraising, while the Venture Builder model offers tailored mentorship and strategic guidance over several months, enhancing the growth potential of the companies they support.
Terms and economics
- Typical check
- $25,000–$50,000
Focus and fit
- Stages
- Pre-seed · Seed · Series A
- Regions
- United States
Availability
- Currently deploying
- Yes
Portfolio and track record
- Recorded portfolio count
- 140
- Recorded notable exits
- Uqora
Portfolio context
Ad Astra Ventures has a diverse portfolio of companies led by female founders, including: AQUAAI: Provides affordable underwater data using bio-inspired robots. AQUACYCL: Offers sustainable wastewater treatment services. COCENSUS: A platform for community insights using NLP technology. COURTROOM5: DIY legal tech for individuals handling civil litigation. FRAME FERTILITY: A digital fertility advisor partnering with clinicians and employers. HYDROSTASIS: Personalized hydration monitoring solutions. PUMPSPOTTING: Software for creating inclusive baby-feeding-friendly cultures. Uqora: A urinary health brand acquired by Pharmavite, showcasing a successful exit.
Capability profile
adastra.ventures as a community
Community overview
Ad Astra Ventures is an organization founded in 2018, dedicated to empowering female founders by providing capital, expertise, and resources to help them lead and grow their businesses. Based in the United States, Ad Astra Ventures aims to address gender biases in entrepreneurship and supports a diverse portfolio of companies led by women.
Community focus
Ad Astra Ventures invests in female founders at various stages, including Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A. They focus on sectors such as SaaS, women's health, consumer products, sustainability, and med tech, providing funding that ranges from $25,000 to $50,000 depending on the stage of the company.
Member value
Members of Ad Astra Ventures benefit from access to funding, expertise, and a supportive community. The organization offers a bootcamp program designed to help female founders identify their strengths, neutralize biases, and prepare for fundraising, along with networking opportunities and mentorship.
Membership
- Recorded members
- 140
- Pricing models
- fixed-tuition
Format and cadence
- Modality
- in-person
- Schedule
- cohort-based
- Commitment
- moderate
Availability
- Membership state
- Accepting
Audience and fit
- Audience
- Founders
- Benefits
- network-access and mentorship
- Program types
- bootcamp and community
- Selection criteria
- open
- Stages
- Pre-seed · Seed · Series A
- Regions
- United States
Community activity
Events and activity
Ad Astra Ventures hosts a bootcamp program for female founders, which is an intensive experience spanning 2-4 days. This program includes pre- and post-work, small group sessions, and one-on-one meetings, accommodating a maximum of 15 founders (12 companies) per cohort.
Notable members
Key team members include Allison Long Pettine, Vidya Dinamani, Silvia Mah, Courtney Burnett, and Maria Gonzalez-Blanch. Notable portfolio companies include AQUAAI, AQUACYCL, COCENSUS, COURTROOM5, FRAME FERTILITY, HYDROSTASIS, and PUMPSPOTTING.
Common questions
What to know about adastra.ventures
Upseed classifies adastra.ventures under the Micro VC organization type. Its current public profile includes funder and community capabilities.
Source and update disclosure
Know what this page is based on
Source basis
Public organization and program material, official websites, and structured Upseed records.
Last reviewed
April 9, 2026
Known limits
Capability profiles appear only when a structured public profile also contains decision-useful role evidence. Terms and availability can change.
Upseed is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the organization described on this page.