According to Pitchbook and All Raise, an organization supporting women in venture capital and startups, only 2.2 percent of the $130 billion total in VC investments during 2018 was attributed to female founders in the US.

Here in Canada, the numbers aren’t much better. Only four percent of VC funding was directed towards women-led companies. To add to that, only 15 percent of partners at Canadian VC firms were women. It’s clear that there is much progress to be made at both ends of the table. 

Despite the discouraging statistics, things are slowly changing. In fact, female entrepreneurs contribute $148 billion every year to Canada’s economy, according to Startup Canada. And on a global scale, Canadian women currently rank first when it comes to creating and running their own businesses. Women are forging ahead. 

In a landscape often seen through the lens of the male perspective, female entrepreneurs must be supported in order to grow their companies and create a more diverse, holistic business environment.

In our Capital Gains series, we spoke to five incredible women on how to raise investment capital, building a brand, and the crucial lessons they’ve learned along the way. Click here to read more stories.

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