The findings reveal that women-led companies are perceived “lack of fit” in male-dominated industries, while male founders benefit from advantages even in female-dominated industries.

This report addresses the challenges women entrepreneurs face in securing venture capital with a focus on the gender bias that manifests in the form of tougher, more negative questioning directed at women founders compared to men.

This paper reveals that accelerator participation leads to an increase in funding, yet their positive impact is limited to ventures in developed markets and those with male-led founding teams.

Despite recent progress, venture capital (VC) funding for women-led startups has dramatically decreased. This article argues that various factors such as investor bias, male-dominated ecosystems, and the underrepresentation of women in the VC industry contribute to the sharp decline.