FE+MALE Think Tank ’s Post

👓🍵 #WeekendReading: wX Insights 2024 "The Rise of Women #STEMpreneurs in Latin America and Caribbean: Reducing the Gap in Access to Capital" is our recommended read this weekend. This report features data from nearly 1,700 companies and 600+ equity funds and is saturated with critical statistics for practitioners and investors seeking deep insights into early investment (Seed and Series A) women's tech entrepreneurship in the LAC region. The new study reaffirms We-Fi's ecosystem approach to empowering #womenentrepreneurs through #accesstofinance AND access to networks, as well as our emphasis on gender disaggregated data as a means to mitigate biases in the investment process. Check it out for: 👥 Profiles of women STEMpreneurs and their companies 🛑 Challenges women STEMpreneurs face accessing and raising capital 📈 Emerging best practices and advantages of investing in women STEMpreneurs 🏅 Recommendations for both women STEMpreneurs and investors to maximize the potential of #VC funds, resolve challenges in connecting investors with #womenfounders, and reduce potential biases in the investment processes. Learn more from IDB Lab, #WeXchange, Endeavor, and Value For Women Ltd.'s new report support by We-Fi below ⬇️ And special thanks to everyone who contributed to the wX Insights 2024: Ana Luisa Albarran Velasco, Ana Carolina Lustosa Rosario, Gyoung Joo Choe, Remedios Leyba, Ruben Doboin, Yuri Soares, Becca Bean, Mario Fernando Escobar, Carol Martínez, Ana Paula Parrodi Wiechers, Cynthia Torres, Karla Berman, Enrico Robles Del Rio, Erica Berthelsen, Shoshana Grossman-Crist, Luis Marquez, Daniela Moctezuma, Norman Sarria, MBA, Asya Troychansky, Anabel Perez, Angela Acosta, Caterine Castillo Ceballos, Courtney McColgan, Daniela Espinosa, Domenica Obando, Gabriela Estrada, Maite Muniz Telleria, and Mariana Vasconcelos.

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

According to the 'Women-led high-growth enterprise taskforce report', only 11% of women hold decision-making investment roles in the UK. Shocking, right? Here's why this is important: 1/ Women only receive 2% of VC funding. 2/ Diversity has been shown to contribute to better discussions, decisions and financial performance. 3/ Women investors are twice as likely to invest in female founders. 4/ According to the British Business Bank, when investment committees have 50%+ women, 17% of the teams receiving funding are all-female. When the investment committee is made up of fewer than 50% women, this drops to 7%. 5/ Women investors share a similar lived experience to female founders. Which means less time is spent on justifying 'new' (not new) markets, products and services, previously ignored or underfunded by traditional investors. 6/ For example, based on data, 80% of health VCs have never invested in women's health. You can see the problem. 7/ Women are an untapped resource and represent enormous GDP growth potential. They also ensure economies are more resilient. The report identifies a number of opportunities for change, including: - Improve diversity of senior investment professionals - Increase signatories to the 'Investing in Women Code' - Drive inclusive behaviour through regulation, monitoring, and action by investors. And recently, a taskforce to create a £250m funding pot for women founders, was announced in the UK. Co-chaired by serial entrepreneur, Debbie Wosskow, OBE alongside Barclay’s Hannah Bernard OBE, the Invest in Women Taskforce has committed to: 1/ Boost angel investment for female-led businesses 2/ Enable more women to become angel investors 3/ Increase access to finance for women, and 4/ Boost micro-funding. Great news for women entrepreneurs! What else can we do to direct more capital to female founders? Please leave your comments below 👇

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!

Check out the latest wX Insights 2024. The study, covering 1,700 women- led #STEM companies and over 600 capital funds, highlights the challenges and progress in #FemaleTech #Entrepreneurship in #LatinAmerica and the #Caribbean.

Unlocking the Power of Women Investors 💼💡 As a financial professional, I believe the power of women investors is a game-changer in today’s financial landscape. For accredited women investors, this isn't just about growing wealth—it's about creating lasting impact. Here’s why this matters to you: Empowering women to invest confidently can transform industries, drive inclusive innovation, and address underfunded sectors. When women leverage their investment power, they bring unique perspectives and disciplined strategies that lead to meaningful change. 🔍 Questions to consider: - Are you fully utilizing your investment potential to make a difference? - How can you ensure your investments align with your values and goals? - What steps are you taking to stay informed and confident in your investment decisions? The power of your investments extends beyond financial returns—it shapes the future. Don't miss the chance to make a meaningful impact while growing your wealth. Let's discuss how you can unlock your investment power and drive positive change. #WomenInvestors #InvestmentPower #ImpactInvesting #WomenEmpowerment #FinancialStrategies #GoalsBasedInvesting #Finance https://lnkd.in/eCRviqFF

I hear “we need more women in leadership” a lot these days. That misses the mark. It’s a realization that slowly started with seeing Zap ⚡️supporting the Nashville startup ecosystem. Going from “dot connector” to the “dot” herself. Then reading about Isabelle Bart 💡 in her recent interview it finally clicked for me that the real important decisions aren’t made by “management” or leadership. These are corporate times. Management doesn’t manage the corporation. Leadership and management lead and manage people and operations - but don’t make the real decisions. The decisions are made by people like Aileen Lee (coined the term “unicorn” and has invested in multiple unicorns* through her own venture capital firm Cowboy Ventures ) and Kirsten Green (founder of Forerunner currently tallying at least 7 unicorns) and Brit Morin (founder of Brit + Co, and venture capital firm Offline Ventures). In the modern world, decisions are made by money. So… Management and leadership just seem too myopic to me after this realization. No, we don’t need more women in management, we need more women making the real decisions. I’m excited to see a world where my daughter will have power behind her own decisions - and that will just be a normal thing. Where VC doesn’t have connotations of boy’s club any longer. *unicorn: a startup valued at over $1 billion

How can we close the gender gap in #STEM #financing? With data from nearly 1,700 women-led companies and 600 investment funds, wX's Insights 2024 study, advised by Value For Women Ltd., tracks the capital access gap faced by STEM women entrepreneurs in #LatinAmerica and the #Caribbean. Women STEMpreneurs in the region are leading enterprises in a sector poised to contribute to economic, technological, and scientific progress. They are also increasingly making their way in the venture capital funds industry. Yet, there is a significant disparity in funding for companies founded or co- founded by women and men. Of the US$7.8 billion invested by venture capital in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region in 2022, 20% was allocated to mixed-gender teams, while only 0.6% was destined for #womenfounders and co-founders. Venture capital funds are crucial to these entrepreneurs for more reasons than one: they provide financing, networking opportunities, experience and strategic knowledge that is critical for growth. Find out how women STEMpreneurs are raising capital, and the strategies VC funds are using to support women founders: https://lnkd.in/dhA6PhvK Erica Berthelsen Shoshana Grossman-Crist Luis Marquez Daniela Moctezuma Norman Sarria, MBA Asya Troychansky Rebecca Fries Aparajita Agrawal IDB Lab Inter-American Development Bank Endeavor Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi) #womenentrepreneurs #genderfinancegap #STEMpreneurs #venturecapital #LATAM

Investments made in women-owned businesses are like seeds planted that germinate underground during the colder months. When these seeds of investment begin to blossom, there is a tangible impact we experience, just like we notice the green leaves budding in new life. These visionary entrepreneurs, nurtured by support and opportunity, bring change to their communities and beyond. Investing in women-owned businesses isn't just about financial returns; it's about sowing the seeds of positive change and reaping the fruits of a more equitable, prosperous future. By empowering women entrepreneurs internationally, we catalyze innovation, drive economic growth, and foster vibrant, resilient communities. Together, we can cultivate a world where every woman has the opportunity to thrive, where dreams take root and flourish, and where the harvest of our investments yields rewards for generations to come. #investinwomen #empowerment #globalimpact #femalefounder #invest #investment #VC #capital

Investing Women Angels has announced it will back a series of investment rounds over the next four months that is set to raise more than £4.5m for four female-founded companies in Scotland. Find out more here 👇 #tech #news #IWA Investing Women Angels