Investing in a New Generation of Women Entrepreneurs

In the world of startups and venture capital, it’s reigning men.

Women are less likely than their male counterparts to launch startups, less likely to land venture capital funding when they do launch startups, and in turn, less likely to be propelled into leadership positions at VC firms that determine who to fund next.

The statistics are striking. The top five VC firms in the United States had a total of zero female senior partners last year, according to Newsweek. Women-led startups, meanwhile, receive just 7 percent of all investor money, according to Women Who Tech.

At the University of California, those trends are shifting, thanks in large part to the vision of women leaders and an advanced entrepreneurial culture that thrives on diversity. From research that exposes funding bias to accelerators that support a new generation of female entrepreneurs, women are chasing down what experts consider a vast untapped economic opportunity.

View the full article here.

By Brian Back, UC Newsroom, University of California Office of the President