How was your Women’s History Month? Ours was great! Let’s close it out with five articles about women, entrepreneurship, and venture capital:
1. Meet Melanie Perkins, CEO of Canva
The close of a $40 million funding round makes Perkins the youngest woman to lead a $1 billion startup. Canva is a web-based design platform with over 10 million users. Learn more about Perkins and Canva at Quartz Media.
2. VC Stereotypes about men and women aren’t supported by performance data
Only 2.7 percent of venture capital-funded companies have a woman CEO. But according to a new study, stereotypes about women held by venture capitalists (like “women are risk-averse”, “women are reluctant to grow their business”, “women lack the resources for high growth”, and “women’s ventures underperform”) aren’t supported by performance data. This study also shows that VCs evaluate entrepreneurs differently based on gender. Read more here.
3. Meet Brazen Global
Brazen is a nonprofit (and CIC client) committed to “tearing down barriers for women entrepreneurs so they can successfully grow their own businesses”. Read our interview with Mindy Mazur, Executive Director of Brazen St. Louis, and check out this profile of founder and CEO Jennifer Ehlen by her alma mater.
4. Meet the women venture capitalists who are changing the face of investing
Women are still underrepresented in VC firms, and in 2017 their numbers remained mostly stagnant. Business Insider profiled women making waves and deals in VC firms in 2018. Read more here.
5. Women of color are starting businesses at record rates
Women of color receive virtually no venture funding – 0.2 percent. But all over the country, women of color are starting businesses. Between 2007 and 2012, businesses owned by black women increased by 66 percent. Read about women entrepreneurs from the Las Vegas Sun and Ag Funder News and stay inspired.
