Venture Capital Equity - Why Is It So Hard?

In 2024, female-only founding teams received just 2.3 percent of global VC funding - a number that shrinks further as startups scale, revealing that the problem isn’t just entry, but escalation. This is not merely a pipeline issue - it’s a systemic failure rooted in biased networks, skewed risk perception, and a capital culture that defaults to familiarity. From who writes the cheque and the myth of the “scalable male founder” to the impact of the growing backlash against diversity initiatives, this session will unpack why equity in venture funding continues to remain such a far-fetched goal and what it will take to fix it, especially in an increasingly polarised world. 

• If the data is clear and the talent is here, why is venture capital equity still so hard to crack? What drives the “double gap” of fewer deals and smaller checks for women founders? 
• How does the persistent underrepresentation of women as VC decision-makers shape both the flow and size of capital to female founders?
• In an era of “dispensable diversity” and DEI backlash, what policy and market levers can make venture funding a fair game for women entrepreneurs?