To Ensure an Equitable Starting Line, Invest in Women Entrepreneurs

What female and diverse entrepreneurs want is not favouritism but an equitable starting line. To better understand why investing in diverse entrepreneurs is crucial in the post-pandemic world, the World Economic Forum interviewed 20-plus diverse founders and investors. These conversations reveal benefits that extend beyond financial returns.

The COVID-19 pandemic has left no element of society untouched, exacting a tremendous toll on populations around the world, healthcare systems, and financial and labour markets. From a business standpoint, its impact has fallen disproportionately on women and ethnically diverse entrepreneurs and small business owners.

Main takeaways from the conversations:

• Women and diverse individuals often run up against systemic challenges and resource scarcity when pursuing entrepreneurship and small business ownership.
• What female and diverse entrepreneurs want is not favouritism but an equitable starting line.
• The greater presence of women and diverse fund founders should mitigate some of the demographic and cultural biases in the distribution of financing.

Investing in female and diverse ethnic minorities is a critical step in both taking reparative measures to mitigate the impact endured by disparaged communities and supporting the recovery of these communities in a post-pandemic world.