About This Fund
Willow Growth Partners Inaugural Fund is a $28 million early-stage venture capital fund managed by Willow Growth Partners, a Los Angeles-based investment firm founded in 2020 and focused on emerging consumer brands. The fund announced its final close in June 2021 on an oversubscribed basis, having raised commitments almost entirely via remote investor meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic—a reflection of the firm's credibility and the founders' extensive operating networks.
Willow Growth Partners invests in early-stage consumer brands and their supporting technologies across beauty, health and wellness, apparel and accessories, and food and beverage. The firm targets companies at the seed and Series A stages, typically making initial investments of $1M–$3M and partnering closely with founders through active board participation and operational guidance. Willow's investment thesis centres on backing founders with distinctive brand visions at the inflection point between proof-of-concept and scalable growth, with particular emphasis on brands enabled by technology, community, and digital-native distribution channels.
The firm was co-founded by Deborah Benton—former President and COO of NastyGal and ShoeDazzle, and former EVP of Operations at Teleflora—and Amanda Schutzbank. Together they bring over 30 years of combined operating and investing experience, having advised more than 75 companies on scaling, fundraising, talent acquisition, and acquisitions. Willow's Inaugural Fund positions the firm to back a concentrated portfolio of consumer companies across the United States.