Reserve Bank of Australia board member and property sector leader Carol Schwartz has put money into a new venture capital fund, focused entirely on backing female-founded tech companies in Australia and the US, with Sydney-based online training start-up HowToo banking an investment.

ALIAVIA Ventures is headed by former Google, YouTube and Spotify ANZ managing director Kate Vale and Marisa Warren, who also founded female founder-focused accelerator ELEVACAO. It is the first early stage venture capital firm focused solely on women founders.

All potential portfolio companies must have at least one female founder with a significant equity position and C-level role.