Female Founders & the Funding Gap
Venture capital is a driving force behind innovation, yet female-led startups continue to receive a disproportionately small share of investment. In the UK, only 1.9% of total venture capital funding is allocated to startups founded solely by women, while 85% of VC deals go to all-male founding teams.
These disparities raise important questions about how and why investment decisions are made. Is unconscious bias influencing the funding process? Do structural barriers within the startup ecosystem limit access to capital for female founders? Or are there deeper-rooted factors at play that have yet to be fully explored?
For the first time, thanks to our live discussion technology, we can facilitate a conversation of this scale while drawing real-time qualitative conclusions from those directly involved in the startup and investment landscape. This initiative is a groundbreaking opportunity to gather first-hand experiences from founders, investors, and policymakers, creating a clearer, data-driven understanding of the gender funding gap.
We are committed to ensuring this discussion remains neutral, research-driven, and exploratory. There are no assumptions—only questions. By facilitating this open exchange of insights, we aim to build a more comprehensive picture of the investment landscape, inform future research, and contribute to discussions on how funding structures can evolve to support innovation more effectively.
This is your chance to be part of an unprecedented investigation as part of our 10,000 voices series. If you are a founder, investor, or stakeholder in the startup ecosystem, your voice matters. Join us as we explore one of the most pressing questions in venture capital today.
Female-Led Startups Generate Higher Revenue Per Investment
"Despite receiving, on average, less than half the investment of their male-led counterparts, female-founded startups generated 10% more in cumulative revenue over a five-year period. For every $1 of funding, female-led businesses generated $0.78 in revenue, compared to $0.31 for male-led businesses"
Source: BCG Report – Why Women Owned Startups Are a Better Bet
Women Receive Less than Two Percent of VC Funding
"All-female founder teams accounted for 9% of deals in 2022 but only received 2% of the total investment value, reflecting no improvement since 2011"
Gender Inclusive Teams Are More Capital Efficient
"Data Shows that Gender-Inclusive Founding Teams Have Greater Success in Fundraising and Innovation"
Source: Kauffman Fellows Report – Gender Inclusive Teams
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