ADVANCING GENDER EQUALITY IN VENTURE CAPITAL WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS ABOUT THE CURRENT STATE OF THE INDUSTRY AND HOW TO PROMOTE MORE GENDER DIVERSITY, EQUALITY, AND INCLUSION Women and Public Policy Program Harvard Kennedy School October 2019 ADVANCING GENDER EQUALITY IN VENTURE CAPITAL WHAT THE EVIDENCE SAYS ABOUT THE CURRENT STATE OF THE INDUSTRY AND HOW TO PROMOTE MORE DIVERSITY, EQUALITY, AND INCLUSION This report was authored by Siri Chilazi, Research Fellow at the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard Kennedy School. Please direct any correspondence to: Women and Public Policy Program Harvard Kennedy SchoolWomen and Public Policy Program 79 JFK Street Harvard Kennedy School Cambridge, MA 02138 October 2019
[email protected] TABLE OF CONTENTS THE CASE FOR CHANGE Foreword .................................................................................................................................................... 1 Why Should VCs Care About Gender Equality? .................................................................................. 2 An Ecosystem Approach to Advancing Gender Equality in Venture Capital .................................... 5 RESEARCH REPORT: ADVANCING GENDER EQUALITY IN VENTURE CAPITAL Venture Capitalists and Gender Equality .............................................................................................. 8 Industry-Wide Barriers to Gender Equality ............................................................................................ 9 What Works: Dismantling Industry-Wide