Disparities in Venture Capital: The Impact on Women Founders and Women of Color in Tech

Written by Natalia Daies September 1, 2023

Fearless Fund, a Black, women-led venture capital firm, is being sued for racial discrimination by the American Alliance for Equal Rights. The lawsuit claims the firm runs a discriminatory program through its Fearless Strivers Grant Contest, which awards grants to Black women-led businesses. Edward Blum, a leader in the Supreme Court case that dismantled affirmative action in college admissions just a few months ago, and anti-equality activists, is leading the lawsuit. This lawsuit highlights the inequities in access to funding and the challenges faced by women founders, especially women from underrepresented and historically excluded groups.

According to Pitchbook, all-women teams received only 1.9% or $4.5 billion of $283.3 billion in available venture capital funding in 2022, and women of color received just 0.39%. Additionally, Black entrepreneurs saw a 45% decrease in funding at the end of 2022. This funding gap perpetuates gender and racial disparities in the tech industry. It hinders overall economic and technological progress by excluding a significant talent pool and limiting access to sponsorship in a male-dominated industry.

Venture capital plays a crucial role in the growth and success of startups by providing them with the necessary funding to develop products, scale operations, and competitively enter new and existing markets.

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Originally published at https://www.womenwhocode.com.