Diversity to Build a Better Future
At Highline Beta, we’re committed to working with corporations, LPs, and other partners who understand the value that diversity within both investment teams and companies will drive. That’s why we have released Women in Venture report.
You can’t manage what you don’t measure – so we measured it. We gathered data on over 300 venture capital firms and corporate venture arms across Canada and the USA to try to paint a clearer picture of the state of gender in venture capital. Through our Female Funders program, Highline Beta includes more women executives in corporate and technology leadership roles.
Venture Capital has a gender gap. What will you do to help close it?
Venture capital investors, limited partners, individual angels, and policy makers all have a role to play to drive greater diversity within our ecosystem. We also each stand to benefit.
Women bring new networks, capital, and expertise that help firms drive differentiated deal flow, support portfolio companies, and make smarter investments.
With the Women in Venture Report, we’re hoping to do more than uncover the data behind the problem. We’re focused on sharing information institutions and individuals can use to benchmark themselves, and take action.
At Highline Beta, we’re committed to working with LPs and other partners who understand the value that diversity within both investment teams and companies will drive. Through Female Funders, we’re empowering more women to learn the fundamentals of venture capital and make their first angel investment.
Our supporters at venture capital firms mentor the participants, helping them leverage their expertise, networks, and capital as angel investors.
As you read this year’s report, we urge you to consider: How will you take action to change who is at the table?
Lauren Robinson, General Partner, Highline Beta
This is about more than uncovering the data behind the problem. It’s about giving institutions and individuals the information we need to understand where we’re at, and take action. As you read this year’s report, we urge you to consider: How will you take action to change who is at the table?
As seniority increases, representation drops
In the USA, female representation for Analysts starts at 31%, and goes down to 13.2% at the Partners level. For Canada, it goes from 51.9% to 15.2%; for Corporate VC’s, it goes from 47.4% to 15.9%, respectively.
Most venture capital in Canada and the USA is controlled by teams with all-male managing partners
Of all dollars invested in venture capital funds in 2018, we estimate funds led by women managing partners raised only 9.97%.
Representation of women on corporate venture capital investment teams varies widely by industry. Percent of total investment team roles held by women, by industry:
- Women in Aerospace: 29.4%
- Automotive: 10.7%
- CPG: 35.7%
- Energy: 11.1%
- Financial Services: 25.3%
- Health: 37.7%
- Manufacturing: 13.3%
- Media/Entertainment: 19.1%
- Property: 23.8%
- Technology: 22.3%
- Telecom: 18.2%
View the report in its entirety, here. Read the original announcement and learn more about our corporate innovation services and investment strategy.