Leslie Errington’s Post

Did you know that while 60% of investors have noticed an increase in women founders, 38% of #Entrepreneurs in Latin America and the Caribbean still face financing challenges? Find out more at the newly published wX insihts 2024 below!

wX Insights 2024 reveals the best practices of successful female STEMpreneurs in Latin America and the Caribbean who have raised capital, as well as the best practices of venture capital funds that have reported increased investment in women-led companies. 🔎Here’s a snapshot of our findings: ❕While 60% of investors have noticed an increase in women founders, 38% of #Entrepreneurs in Latin America and the Caribbean still face financing challenges. 📈Women #STEMpreneurs we spoke with who participated in entrepreneurship support programs had a higher probability of raising capital. 💵Investors are beginning to recognize the business case for investing in women STEMpreneurs based on experience with their portfolio companies. ✔️They are also recognizing the benefits of adopting best practices such as incorporating more women in investment decision-making and establishing gender metrics. IDB Lab, Inter-American Development Bank, Endeavor México, Value For Women Ltd., and Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) invite you to explore more in our latest study: https://lnkd.in/dhA6PhvK Erica Berthelsen Shoshana Grossman-Crist Luis Marquez Daniela Moctezuma Norman Sarria, MBA Asya Troychansky Rebecca Fries Aparajita Agrawal #WeXchange #WomenSTEMpreneurs #venturecapital #mujeres #emprendedoras #STEM #innovadoras #inversión #AméricaLatina #Caribe

Women Entrepreneurs Are Hitting a Funding Wall A recent article from The New York Times highlights a pressing issue for women entrepreneurs: despite the growth of women-led venture capital funds, many still struggle to secure funding beyond early rounds. Here are some key insights: 🔍 The Funding Gap: Women-founded startups received only 7% of pre-seed and seed funding in 2023, a modest increase from 5% in 2015. However, the share of venture capital for women-led businesses seeking funding beyond Series B has dropped to just 1%. 📉 Challenges Ahead: Founders like Oriana Papin-Zoghbi are facing significant obstacles in securing the next rounds of funding, especially for capital-intensive sectors like medical devices. Many women-led funds are simply not large enough to lead these later-stage rounds. 🤔 The Valley of Death: Jenny Abramson from Rethink Impact refers to the lack of funding for women-led startups at the growth stage as “the valley of death.” While some funds are making strides, many female founders are still at risk of hitting this funding wall. 🌍 Diversity and Inclusion Backlash: A broader retreat from diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts is impacting funding opportunities for women, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds. 💬 Call to Action: It’s crucial for all investors—regardless of gender—to actively support women entrepreneurs and address biases that persist in funding landscapes. As we continue to advocate for more equitable funding practices, let’s foster inclusive networks that empower all founders. How can we collectively bridge this funding gap and support women entrepreneurs in their journeys? #WomenEntrepreneurs #VentureCapital #Diversity #Equity #Funding #Startups

There's no doubt that #FemaleFounders are key to driving innovation through entrepreneurship. Yet, women-led startups still struggle to access #funding and scale. 🚀 The latest State of Australian #StartUp Funding Report reveals an unsettling statistic: In 2023, female-founded startups secured only 4% of Australia's $3.5 billion startup funding. There is a vast pool of untapped and underutilised talented women ready to tackle some of the world's most pressing social and environmental issues. Imagine what they could achieve with proper funding? 💰 📈 In some good news, more and more VC funds are recognising the need to close the gap by investing and committing to supporting women like F5 Collective, SBE Australia, Scale Investors Pty Ltd, and Startmate. So how can you support female founders? 🌟 Use your platform to amplify the voices of female founders by sharing their stories, feats, and initiatives in your networks! 🌟 Advocate for policy changes that support women in entrepreneurship, like increased access to funding and resources for female-led businesses. 🌟 Encourage your organizations, accelerators, and VC firms to commit to diversity in funding decisions and leadership positions. It will take all of us rolling up our sleeves and taking concrete actions to level the playing field. It's time to rally behind women-led startups! 📰 Read the Women's Agenda article: https://lnkd.in/g8vCXSkx Support a startup by women for women: www.urpenny.com 🏷️ #WomenSupportingWomen #PennyCommunity

👋 Hello LinkedIn Fam! I am working on a research project about high-performing women-led companies, past and present. The Female Titans Project, FTP for short. I would like your input for creating a global list of female-founded/led companies. The objectives of the project are: (1) Education and Awareness: highlight some of the amazing female-founded/led businesses and their stories (You may be surprised that # 1 on the list, has a female founder) (2) Female Startup Funding: ROI, data-based business case for increasing funding in female #startups using an inclusive global data set (the reason why I’m asking for your input). (3) Investment Guide/ Interactive Report for VCs that highlights high-return investment opportunities in women-founded/women-led companies 📝The list criteria is #companies with a female founding member, and/or a female CEO that has achieved over 10 million in revenue, sales, funds raised, or market cap. Know some female-founded/led companies that fit the above criteria, submit them here 👉 https://lnkd.in/e9ACngGh To 🔁 share/view the current list go here ➡️https://lnkd.in/es2VXXZW #venturecapital #womenfounders #entrepreneurship #business #leadership 🙅♀️A message to the Female 💪Titans out there (courtesy of my mom) ~Courage Kimber Daughter Of Lions

We are excited to share some powerful insights from a recent study that underscores the immense potential of women-owned startups. This research, conducted by BCG in partnership with MassChallenge, reveals compelling data that highlights the value and impact of women entrepreneurs. 🔍 Key Findings: - Funding Disparities: Women-owned startups receive significantly less funding than male-founded startups—averaging $935,000 compared to $2.1 million. - Superior Performance: Despite this funding gap, women-owned startups generate higher revenue over time. For every dollar of investment, they generate 78 cents, whereas male-founded startups generate only 31 cents. - Greater Revenue: Over a five-year period, women-founded startups produced 10% more in cumulative revenue compared to their male counterparts. 💡 Why Women-Owned Startups Excel: - Women founders often bring a unique perspective and a deep understanding of their target markets, especially in sectors less familiar to male investors, such as childcare and beauty. - Women are generally more realistic and grounded in their projections, which can lead to more sustainable and robust business growth. 🚀 Call to Action: - Investors: Recognize the structural biases and seek opportunities in women-led ventures. Including more women in investment decisions can lead to more innovative and successful outcomes. - Accelerators: Actively recruit and support women entrepreneurs, providing them with the necessary resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities. - Women Entrepreneurs: Be bold in your pitches, seek out supportive networks, and leverage data to advocate for the value of your business. - Together, we can bridge the investment gap and unlock the full potential of women in entrepreneurship. Let's champion these insights and drive meaningful change in our community. #WomenInSTEM #WISESUMMIT #WomenEntrepreneurs #Innovation #Investment #MassChallenge #BCG #WomenInLeadership Source: https://lnkd.in/gF9c7AzB

☀️Sarah Morgan’s innovation boosts Quality of Life and reduces National Healthcare costs. Let's Fund More Women like Sarah, founder of Nano-Lit Technologies. She is making a real difference. 👏 Way to go Sarah. ⭐️Share to show your support for Sarah. #FundMoreWomen #BreakTheBias #Founders #DiversityIncreasesSuccess #GenderEquity #FundingBias #WomenInBusiness #InclusiveEconomy #VentureCapital #Entrepreneurship #FemaleFounders

Entrepreneurship can be a lonely journey, but the simple act of recognition can be transformative. Few realize how impactful it is to celebrate the efforts of entrepreneurs, especially women founders who face unique challenges. I’m grateful for the support from Let's Fund More Women in the UK, they are already a beacon, reminding female founders that they are not alone on the edge. It’s free to give support, and it increases the potential for success for every founder significantly. Let’s continue to lift each other up and push for more women-led ventures to thrive. 💡 #SupportWomen #FemaleFounders #Entrepreneurship”

Empowering Young Women Through Entrepreneurship: Driving Financial and Social Independence. As architects of progress, #WomenInLeadership play a pivotal role in #NationBuilding, nurturing resilience, unity, and a brighter collective future. The Veena Gusain Memorial Foundation's #SupportingEntrepreneurs group empowers #EmpoweredWomen, fostering #Entrepreneurship, and #UnityInDiversity for a #CollectiveFuture.