SF Event With No Men
Yesterday Keiretsu Forum held their Summer Solstice for Women Investors. I found it promoted on the Astia web site and thought that it was a co-sponsored event between the Keiretsu Forum and Astia. It was in a way, but I did not find anyone from Astia there, at least not broadcasting the fact.
It was a great networking event for non-technical contacts. I talked with HR people, lawyers, a few women looking for funding for their companies and a few women investors, but it was strange to be in a room talking business with so few men.
The speakers representing Keiretsu Forum are trying to increase the number of women-owned businesses that get funded and increase the number of women angel investors. They brought up some very interesting points . (I am directly quoting from the material that they provided at the meeting.)
1. Women possess over half the wealth in the United States, but make up less than 8 percent of the angel investment community. -2006 Kaufmann Foundation Report
2. Only 9 percent of all angel capital proposals are made by female entrepreneurs, even though they have an equal chance of receiving funding as male entrepreneurs. -University of New Hampshire Center for Venture Research
Why do women end up with so much money? Traditionally they live longer (about 8 years on average). Also women tend to marry a man that is older than they are (about 4 years older).
I applaud the Keiretsu Forum for putting together this wonderful event to give women investors and entrepreneurs some time in the spotlight. But are women expected to do this working from women-centric groups that are already under represented and limited?
Tags: Astia, Keiretsu Forum, networking