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.

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.