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If you're fundraising as a founder and identify as a female, you probably already have faced these and more barriers. At Hive Founders, we’ve seen firsthand how the right mentorship, community, and support can help entrepreneurs turn their ideas into investment-worthy ventures. If you're a founder facing these challenges, take the leap, join Cohort 10, and let’s work together to reshape the future of entrepreneurship. If you're a founder who has fundraised before, what’s the one thing you wish you had known earlier about fundraising? Let’s keep this conversation going!

💡 Breaking the Funding Gap for Female Founders Only 2% of VC funding goes to female-led startups. Why? The barriers are clear: bias in perception, limited networks, and lack of tailored mentorship. 🌟 Female founders are innovating, scaling, and outperforming, yet they face systemic challenges in accessing the funding they deserve. At Hive Founders, we’re as frustrated by the stats as you are—and we’re here to change them. ✨ That’s why we created the Investment Readiness Accelerator—an 8-week program designed to help pre-seed and seed-stage founders: ✅ Build a rock-solid pitch. ✅ Gain expert mentorship. ✅ Navigate the investment process with confidence. ✨ Applications for Cohort 10 are now open! 👉 Ready to transform your fundraising journey? Learn more and apply here: https://lnkd.in/ehJwBWNA 💬 What’s been your biggest challenge in fundraising as a founder? Share your story or tips in the comments—we’d love to hear from you! #femalefounders #startupfunding #investmentstrategy #entrepreneurship #womeninbusiness #startupaccelerator

Even as overall angel investment in U.S. startups contracts -- from $22.3 billion in 2022 to $18.6 billion last year -- the share of female angels grows. In 2023, female angel investors comprised 46.7 percent of the market, an uptick from 39.5 percent in 2022 and 33.6 percent in 2021, the report found. Women-led companies are increasingly in the mix: These companies comprised 46.3 percent of the organizations looking for angel funding in 2024, up from 37.1 percent last year and 28.6 percent in 2021. Two years ago, as the U.S. venture market broke numerous funding records including a total deal value of $329 billion, angel investment reached $29.1 billion, according to the Center's research. Newsletters Subscribe Venture Capital Nearly Half of Angel Investors Are Women, and Nearly Half of Startups Looking for Angel Investment Are Woman-Led Per a new report, not only are women funding more deals, they're increasingly leading startups, too. By Sam Blum, Senior writer @sammblum Jul 19, 2024 If we can believe the stats, it's going in the right direction.

📣 90% of startups worldwide fail - and the top reason is there is no market need. The second biggest reason - they run out of cash. Hester Spiegel-vdSteenhoven is the founder of Epic Angels, the largest female-only angel investor network in Asia Pacific. Her workshop for female founders to pitch better started with this stat - and the insights and nuggets kept coming! We discussed: ✅ Various funding options for startups  ✅ Where to find investors ✅ How to choose an investor ✅ How to create a good pitch deck to garner interest from investors ✅ How to answer investor questions effectively and more! Thank you so much Lavania Rosie and Tinted Wateva for organising another enriching and inspiring session 😍 📣 90% of startups worldwide fail - is also the reason why I am so passionate about my work as a business coach. To help founders, especially female founders, succeed when the odds against us are so high, gives me immense pleasure and purpose. Together, we can reach goals faster and make fewer mistakes. Getting guidance and support also means the entrepreneurial journey becomes less lonely and more empowering.  On another note, I am planning to organise a casual meetup for women where we talk all about and just MONEY! One of things I mentioned in my The Wellness Hood podcast with Montse Castells (coming soon!) is - if we want financial freedom and abundance, more women need to talk more openly about money and with each other! I have seen my husband, male friends/colleagues/acquaintances regularly get together in casual settings - over a drink or a meal or a game - where they talk about growing their money, creatively cutting costs, how their investments are doing, where to find exciting opportunities and more - and I want to create such a space for women. Ping me if you are keen to join! Interested? Rebecca Downie, Sorelle Henricus PhD, Anju Cawthra, ELIKA TASKER, Lavania Rosie, Adelphia Lim (Social Media Manager) Dr. Damini Chawla Speak Human- Courageous Communication for success #startups #fundraising #femalefounders

🚨Calling all aspiring female angel investors in San Francisco!! Do you want to invest in a meaningful way and support the next generation of female-led companies in APAC? Are you curious about angel investing but unsure where to start? Then join Epic Angels for an exclusive in-person workshop in San Francisco! This intimate event is designed for a small group of women who are passionate about innovation and eager to become angel investors. ✨ Here's what you'll gain: 🔍The Fundamentals of Angel Investing: Learn the basics from Maaike Doyer, Founding Partner of Epic Angels. She'll guide you through identifying opportunities, screening startups, and closing the deal. 💪Invest with Confidence: Gain insights from real-life case studies and develop practical skills to evaluate potential investments. 🤝Join a Supportive Community: Connect with female business leaders and fellow (aspiring) investors in SF who share your passion for building a vibrant startup ecosystem. 💰Start Small, Make a Big Impact: As a member of Epic Angels, you can invest in early-stage startups with just US$1,500. This event is perfect for you if: 👉 You're curious about angel investing and the startup scene. 👉 You have a passion for innovation and entrepreneurship. 👉 You're a trailblazer who wants to make a real impact. Spots are limited, so don't miss out! ➡️ Register now: https://lu.ma/fyr5uy8n #angelinvesting #SFinvestors #SFevents

I found myself pitching to 7 venture capitalists like Antler, Artem Ventures, and 500 Global with no prep. 😨 Yesterday, I had shown up at an event for women entrepreneurs to connect with VCs. I was only there to learn how funding works and network with other women entrepreneurs and founders. I was not looking for funding and initially told registration that I wasn't part of the pitching activity. But that changed within 2 hours. Jesyka Hiu from the organising team highly encouraged me to join the pitching session. I told Sudy Yeo, who I met at the event, that I felt unprepared and questioned if I was even worthy of their time. But Sudy insisted that opportunities like this don't come often. She shared her unpleasant experiences of being a woman founder at similar but open events, being interrupted by other aggressive entrepreneurs. Nathalia Lim agreed that I should give it a go and reminded me that these VCs are here to help and it's a good chance to share about my business. Encouraged, I joined the pitch rotation at the last minute, thanks to Jesyka. So I went into the pitching room armed with only my notebook and handphone (with Sudy's pep talk playing on loop in my head). I wanted to get better at discussing my venture, REDIATE. If I could spark genuine interest in just one person about red light therapy, it would be a success. And it was. I walked away with a page full of notes and an unexpected boost of confidence. Some VCs genuinely engaged in the conversation and took quite a bit of notes. A standout moment was my chat with Chrissy Hu from 500 Global, who encouraged me not to dismiss the idea of VC funding, citing examples of their investments such as AppleCrumby & Fish that sells safe, natural and organic products for babies. This impromptu decision changed my perspective and introduced amazing, supportive people into my world. Needless to say, my heart overflows with gratitude. ✨ #bootstrapper #womeninbusiness #growth #personaldevelopment #community

36 Top Angel Investors according to German Women Entrepreneurs To build generation-defining businesses it needs at least the five Ts: exceptional talent and team, a big enough total addressable market, good timing, technology to scale, and traction as path to profitability. 💰 It also needs money to take a startup to profitability and grow fast. High growth companies almost always need to burn capital to sustain their growth prior to achieving profitability. The good news is that there are lots of investors hoping to give the right startup money. The bad news is, fundraising is hard – even more so, if you are keen to diversify your cap table. For access to women angel investors this is for you. We asked 200 founders about their most value-adding angel investors. 👉🏾 Here are the 36 trailblazers who were named the most. Let’s take a second to cherish their commitment on partnering up very early on. They are individuals with a proven track record offering more than just capital, they help with mentorship, networking, and strategic growth. 🔗 If you are interested in accessing them, please comment with a “yes” and we are happy to provide the names. 💡 There was also a big “moment of truth”: 50% of the asked women founders who relevantly raised within the past seven years do not have a single woman – either angel or professional – investor at their cap table even though they aimed for it. Let’s just highlight: If it is about access, we at Evangelistas are over 350 angel investors across Europe. We all enjoy serving and accelerating the success of the most diverse founders. ❓Are you missing your most value-adding angel? Let us know by dropping their name. #angelinvesting #founders #startups #theevangelistas #captablediversity

🚀 Excited to share 5 invaluable tips for female founders navigating the fundraising journey for their startups: 1️⃣ Expand Your Network: Networking is key! Connect with potential investors, mentors, and fellow entrepreneurs at events and conferences. Building relationships can unlock opportunities and support throughout your fundraising journey. 2️⃣ Passion is Power: Showcase your expertise and passion for your startup. Investors are not just looking for a great idea; they're investing in you as a founder. Tell your story with conviction and highlight the problem you're solving and your unique solution. 3️⃣ Tap into Female-Focused Resources: Explore initiatives like women-focused accelerators, angel investor networks, and funding competitions tailored to support female entrepreneurs. These platforms offer mentorship, networking, and access to capital designed for women founders. 4️⃣ Show Progress: Investors love traction. Focus on achieving milestones like customer acquisition, revenue generation, and product development before seeking funding. Demonstrating tangible progress reduces risk and boosts investor confidence. 5️⃣ Seek Diversity in Investors: Target investors who value diversity and inclusion. Research shows that diverse investor teams are more likely to support diverse founders. Look for VC firms, angel investors, and crowdfunding platforms with a track record of backing women-led startups. Excited to see more female founders thrive in the startup ecosystem! 🌟 If you find this useful, follow us & Michelle Margaret Marques - We'll be sharing useful tips every day. #femalefounders #startupsuccess #venturecapital #womeninbusiness

Being part of a wide network of female founders, as well as founders in general, I see first hand the highs and lows of entrepreneurship. A recent PitchBook report examining the experiences of female founders and VCs in 2023 sheds light on the progress and challenges faced by women in the European tech ecosystem. The Positives: Female-founded startups set new records in 2023, accounting for 20.5% of total deal value (up from 15.3% in 2022) and 25.8% of deal count across Europe. 🥂 The UK and Ireland led the way, capturing 40% of all funding raised by startups with at least one female founder. 🇬🇧 🇮🇪 Female-founded startups continued to exit faster than the European average, taking a median of 7.9 years compared to 8.5 years overall. Challenges: Only 15% of decision-makers at major European VCs are female, highlighting the need for more gender diversity in investment firms. You need people round the table with diverse perspectives and views. The number of active female angel investors plunged by 42% in 2023 ( 😱 ), though their participation rate in female-founded deals remained at 28%. More work to do. In the meantime, celebrating all founders and entrepreneurs this Friday 🎉 🙌 ! #FemaleFounders #GenderDiversity #Entrepreneurship Hive Founders Caroline Hughes Andrea SommerFelicia Meyerowitz Singh https://lnkd.in/efcDhtQE

🌟 Pitch for a Chance to Win $150,000! 🌟 Calling all early-stage founders ready to kickstart their investment journey! SheBoot is looking for their 2024 cohort. Are you ready to build your network and skills and access the support you need to secure vital funding for your startup? ✨ What SheBoot Offers: Top Prize of $150,000: With $300,000 available for grabs, courtesy of our 30 dedicated women investors, we're here to fuel your growth. Tailored Mentorship: Gain insights from seasoned women investors and entrepreneurs committed to guiding you every step of the way. Thriving Community: Connect with fellow founders embarking on similar journeys and build lasting connections. Intensive Training: Dive into focused training sessions to perfect your pitch and attract the investment your startup deserves. The SheBoot program is tailored for entrepreneurs embarking on their investment journey. Apply now at www.sheboot.ca. The deadline is April 30, 2024. For any queries or clarifications on eligibility, contact our team at info@sheboot.ca. Let's unlock your startup's potential together!🚀 #SheBoot And don't forget to sign up for our next big event, Demo Day June 5 at Edmonton Unlimited! https://lnkd.in/ge3MKPub CSW is part of the Alberta Scaleup and Growth Accelerator Program that is run by a consortium led by Alberta Innovates. The consortium, which also includes Technology and Innovation, Edmonton Unlimited, The Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund and Prairies Economic Development Canada I Développement économique Canada pour les Prairies (PrairiesCan), allocated $35 million over three years to retain business accelerators. It’s part of an overall government goal to help create 20,000 jobs and increase technology firm revenue to $5 billion by 2030.