Vermilion Cliffs Ventures closed a $25 million Fund II on Wednesday, marking a rapid fundraising effort that took just four months. The venture firm, founded in 2023 by former tech marketer Ashley Smith, is one of the few solo‑woman general partners operating in the industry. Smith told TechCrunch the new fund will continue the firm’s focus on technical founders, especially those tackling AI infrastructure, cybersecurity and developer‑tool challenges.

Fund II will write checks ranging from $500,000 to $1 million, a size Smith says reflects the firm’s “hands‑on” approach to early‑stage investing. Over the next two and a half years, Vermilion Cliffs aims to invest in at least 25 companies, and it has already identified six prospects that fit its thesis. Those early bets join a portfolio built during the debut $13 million fund, which backed 35 startups, including the cybersecurity firm Keycard and AI infrastructure startup CopilotKit.

Smith’s background in product marketing at Twilio, Facebook, GitHub and GitLab informs the firm’s strategy. She emphasized that selling to developers and security teams requires a distinct discipline, one that many founders learn the hard way. “I try to help them skip mistakes I’ve made or seen other founders make,” Smith said. The new capital, she added, will let her provide both financial backing and go‑to‑market guidance, increasing the odds that portfolio companies secure follow‑on rounds.

Existing investors supplied the bulk of the capital for Fund II, underscoring confidence in Smith’s track record and the firm’s niche focus. The quick close—four months from start to finish—contrasts with the longer fundraising cycles typical in venture capital, especially for solo GPs. Smith credited her network and the firm’s clear investment thesis for the swift response.

While the fund’s size is modest compared with mega‑caps, its targeted approach could yield outsized returns in fast‑moving sectors. AI infrastructure, for instance, remains a hotbed of innovation as companies race to build the compute and tooling that power next‑generation applications. Security, meanwhile, continues to attract demand as enterprises tighten defenses against increasingly sophisticated threats. By concentrating on these areas and offering seasoned marketing expertise, Vermilion Cliffs hopes to differentiate itself from other early‑stage investors.

Industry observers note that solo women GPs are still rare, and Smith’s success may inspire more diverse leadership in venture capital. Her ability to raise a second fund quickly suggests that limited partners are willing to back under‑represented founders when the investment thesis is clear and the manager brings relevant operational experience.

Looking ahead, Vermilion Cliffs plans to deploy the new capital aggressively, with the first batch of investments expected within weeks. As the firm builds out its portfolio, Smith expects the fund’s companies to benefit from both capital and strategic support, positioning them to scale quickly and attract subsequent funding rounds.

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