Willow Growth Partners

Willow Growth Partners is a Los Angeles-based early-stage venture capital firm founded in 2020 by Deborah Benton and Amanda Schutzbank. The firm specializes in investing in emerging consumer brands and the disruptive technologies that support them, with a particular focus on companies that are innovative, values-driven, and committed to sustainability and transparency. The firm's investment strategy centers on supporting brands with strong underlying unit economics and a clear path to profitability, typically leading the first institutional round of investment for companies generating $1–5M in revenue.

Willow Growth Partners is distinguished by its commitment to diversity and impact, with nearly 75% of their portfolio companies led by female or minority founders. The firm employs a diversity rider when serving as lead investor and has demonstrated a strong track record of backing women and BIPOC founders. Although the firm does not formally label itself an impact fund, its focus on "better for you" and "better for the planet" brands creates a compelling impact story aligned with providing access to capital, creating quality jobs, and advancing an inclusive creative economy.

The firm brings extensive operating experience to its portfolio companies, with founders and team members having held senior executive roles at companies including Nasty Gal, ShoeDazzle, Teleflora, and other leading consumer brands. Willow provides hands-on support beyond capital, offering access to CEO-level operating partners, LP sector specialists, board-level guidance, and assistance with recruiting world-class talent and identifying aligned capital partners for subsequent funding rounds.