This dissertation explores the persistent
underrepresentation and challenges
faced by women entrepreneurs in the
investment landscape. In the United
Kingdom, women-led ventures receive
significantly less funding than their
counterparts who identify as men,
perpetuating a gender funding gap. The
research specifically investigates the
experiences of UK-based women
founders during their fundraising
journeys, with a focus on identifying
coping strategies they employ in this
highly competitive men-dominated
environment. Seven semi-structured
qualitative interviews were conducted
with women founders who had
completed at least one funding round.
The findings reveal that women founders
frequently encounter negative
experiences with investors, including
belittlement, heightened scrutiny, hostile
sexism, and sexual advances. To navigate
these challenges, women founders
primarily adopt a set of different coping
strategies, including behavioural
strategies, such as altering their
communication styles, and meticulous
preparation to deflect attention from
their gender identity. A set of mental and
communal strategies is also identified, whereby women founders use to
persevere and successfully raise funding
for their companies. The research is
framed within a feminist theoretical
perspective, utilizing the concept of
neoliberal stigma-power (Tyler and
Slater, 2018) to contextualize the
structural barriers faced by women
founders. The study concludes that while
women founders are resourceful, the
investment landscape remains deeply
biased and needs systemic change to
create a more fair and equitable
environment. The findings contribute to
the limited body of research on gender,
women, and investment, highlighting the
need for increased gender diversity in
investment committees and a
reevaluation of how success is
entrepreneurial world.
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