Since venture capitalists have become so selective, entrepreneurs and startups who identify as women and minorities face a difficult journey to gain access to capital. These groups are often overlooked or undersought by venture capitalists, which can lead to marginalization, discrimination, and even extinction of their businesses. Although there are few studies that investigate the prevalence of these issues in the VC ecosystem specifically, it is clear that they exist and need attention. Correcting this imbalance will be important for expanding opportunities for women and minorities in technology entrepreneurship
The claims that women lack the conviction to succeed as venture capitalists are tired and untrue. A staggering number of female founders have successfully raised money through venture capital, and many of them are building companies that have the potential to change lives – like Jawbone, Slack, Thinx, and Classpass. Even though women make up only 1.9% of all venture capitalists in America, they contribute massively to companies that are changing industries. It’s time for these excuses to stop being used as reasons why women can’t or shouldn’t be successful in this field; instead, we need to encouragement more female founders so they can build the businesses of tomorrow – and hopefully change some minds along the way about whether or not there is a place for them here at top tier Venture Capital firms
Even though black founders raised 1% of venture funds, their contributions are invaluable as they identify and pursue new opportunities that other minorities may not have considered. These founders have an innate understanding of their communities that sets them apart from the rest, and their products and markets often reflect this focus. Despite the lack of traction or qualification issues, black founders continue to pitch because they believe in what they do – even if it’s something few others see or understand. Ultimately, these pioneers pave the way for other groups to come forward with innovative ideas and create a more inclusive future for all.
It seems that one major barrier to the success of women in leadership positions is their emotional nature. Female founders have recounted stories of investors dismissing their businesses because they felt female CEOs were too emotional and would be unable to run acompany efficiently. This perspectiveeless and allegedly dismissive attitude towards female entrepreneurs can have a negative impact on their growth and potential career achievements.
The stereotype of the annoying man is not entirely unfounded. For example, men are more likely to take risks that could lead to success or failure, something that can be seen as a positive characteristic in some cases but may be seen as a nuisance or even obstruction in others. Men also tend to be more confident and outspoken than women and can come across as pushy or aggressive when they feel they’re right. However, these qualities can also be helpful when it comes to leadership positions or other professional fields. Overall, being an annoying man is not a bad thing – it just depends on how you use it.
“You can’t say you support women in tech without supporting moms.” Suelin Chen, founder
With the number of mothers in tech industry on the rise, Silicon Valley is taking notice. Many startups are recognizing that creating a supportive ecosystem for mothers is key to retaining and inspiring female engineers. To that end, many startups have created Mothers’ rooms or paternity leave programs which encourage working mothers to remain in the tech industry.
One common misconception about women-founded companies is that they don’t perform as well financially as male-founded companies. In fact, there are a number of studies that show female-founded businesses have higher returns than male-founded ones. This may be due to the bias that exists in the venture industry, which fails to include enough people from diverse backgrounds. Without knowing exactly how many people of color and women are pitching, it’s difficult to determine if funding for these groups is truly disproportionate. Lack of transparency in the venture industry means we don’t have a good understanding of this problem, but it’s important that we take measures to address it.
According to a study by the National Women’s Law Center, in 2016 women founded more businesses than men for the first time in history. This trend shows no signs of stopping and it is estimated that by 2020, women will own almost half of all business enterprises. Despite this progress, there remains a significant funding gap for women-owned businesses. Only 27 percent of venture capital deals went to female-owned businesses in 2016, and only 1% of angel investments went to them (compared with 12% percent that went to male-owned businesses). These statistics underscore the importance of encouraging more female investment partners and showing blockchain platforms like Circle investing opportunities specifically for Female Founders within their ecosystem.
