Funding For Female Founders
Not only are there far fewer female-led startups than those founded by men, accounting for just 13.2% in 2023, but tech businesses founded by women also receive significantly less funding. Just 1.8% of capital invested in venture-backed startups in 2023 in Europe went to female-founded companies.
Perhaps our male counterparts are better connected, perhaps they’re more likely to go down the investment route rather than opt to grow organically without capital, or maybe they’re more likely to be offered funding than female entrepreneurs. Whatever the reason, we have to even the playing field and the only way to do this is to open up more opportunities for female startup founders to raise investment.
Breakthrough Labs attempts to address this issue in several ways -
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By building and nurturing our empowering community of female founders
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Offering regular masterclasses, workshops and pitching practice sessions to build upon skills and confidence
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Hosting regular ‘Meet the Investor’ and other networking events that connect female entrepreneurs with investors
Meet The Investor
Our Meet The Investor sessions are extremely popular. Each month, we introduce founders to a different early-stage investor committed to investing in women. These small sessions not only provide members with practical insights into what different investors are looking for, but founders are able to make real connections with investors. These conversations have proven much more valuable to our members than brief introductions at in-person networking events or cold outreach emails on LinkedIn. Investors also share with our community all we need to know about types of investment and how raising capital works - from seed funding to scaling up.
Furthermore, these sessions aid us in honing our pitching techniques and increasing both opportunities and chances of success in securing investment.
The Accelerator
Our four-month accelerator path is designed to equip female tech founders with the practical skills and confidence needed to secure pre-seed investment.
Through expert-led workshops, mentorship, and strategic guidance, those on the accelerator programme will refine their pitch, strengthen their business model, and prepare to impress investors. The program culminates in a demo day, where participants will have the opportunity to showcase their startup’s progress to potential backers.
If you're ready to take your startup to the next level, contact us to express your interest and we’ll be in touch to share start date options and further information.
Investing In Female-Led Tech Startups
Are you an investor seeking your next opportunity? Or perhaps you’d like to be a part of increasing access to investment for women in business?
Breakthrough Labs is always looking for partners in our mission to support female tech founders. If you would like to join us as a guest speaker at an event or offer our members the opportunity to pitch to you or your company, then please get in touch today.