Stop the Bromance: A List of 100 Female Founders that You Should Know if You Actually are Interested in Paving the Way for Gender Diversity in Business & Startups

In an interview, Christine Lagarde once revealed that she maintains a mental list of top women in leadership. Why? Because she grew tired of male colleagues filling positions with men under the guise of not finding competent women. It’s an old excuse, echoed in startup circles and beyond. The sight of an all-male tech startup or VC talking about “impact” and “change” is normal. Some defenders say gender diversity matters only for big companies. “Why bother with diversity in a small startup, right? Save that for the big leagues!” they claim. It’s like they think female board members are some rare mythical creatures..afterall we are in the business of Unicorns, Dragons and Zebras.. right?

Let me tell you about my buddy (this is a true story, and one of my closest friends); he’s got a fantastic tech company, and he’s pretty awesome. But, his team is almost entirely bros. They do have one female designer, but wouldn’t you know it, she decided to catch the flu on picture day! So, if you check out their website, it’s a full-on bro fest. But hey, it’s not entirely his fault, is it? Afterall, the lady got the flu.

Speaking of unfortunate moments, I recently stumbled upon a picture shared by a VC team on LinkedIn. The caption? “Can’t wait for conference XYZ to chat with startups changing the world!” And guess what? It was a blue-shirted boy band of 10, and then there’s this lone woman hanging out at the edge of the frame. Not sure if she’s the intern or the office receptionist, but she’s definitely not part of the All-Star Bro Team. I’m not convinced I’d fancy a chat with them, nor they with me. Because the reality is that in 2021 female-founded companies in Europe received only 1.8% of the VC funding. The business-as-usual approach is, without a doubt, a downer for innovation and Europe’s and the world’s (hopefully you’re not thinking that this is a European problem ONLY) startup ecosystems. Study after study has shown that diverse and women-led teams tend to yield higher returns. Last year, almost 100 businesses worth over $1 billion were born from investments. Yet, you can’t help but wonder if that capital infusion could have left a more profound impact if it were more equitably distributed?

But then again, why bother pondering the stats when they don’t favour the status quo? Or if they dare to nudge you toward a different tune? 🚀💰.

But here’s the kicker: If you’re omitting an entire half of the population, you’re not in the “world change” business. You’re just hanging around with buzzwords.

Now, back to my tech startup buddy. Was it his fault that she got sick? Nope, clearly not. But was it his responsibility to take the reins and reschedule for another picture-perfect moment? Absolutely. Because he wants to attract the best to his company — and the best may be a woman, but she may not want to join when she sees that the team has no women. That’s the entire point of leadership. We’re all in this, and ownership is the name of the game if we’re serious about change — and that’s how we slowly start sowing the seeds of change and creating a workplace that represents the reality of our interconnected, diverse world.

What I’m stressing is that we must all proactively and systematically address gender imbalances in our professional environments. The change has to begin within every company, from the smallest to the largest. After all, every organisation out there comprises people, who are connected to others, and who, in turn, belong to families with children. These children need inspirational role models to look up to, to aspire to be like when they grow up. How can my daughters or any young aspiring women consider a career path if they don’t see women in those roles? I wouldn’t want that for them.

And while we’re at it, maybe it’s worth acknowledging that our current setup may not be the most enticing for drawing more women into the workforce? Perhaps the goal isn’t to turn women into carbon copies of the bros, but to simply let them be their awesome, cool selves — and the goal is to change the main operating framework to actually make room for everyone? Though to be fair, many women today feel they must mimic male leadership to lead effectively. So maybe we need to work on that one too. But hey, that’s a conversation for another day.

It’s time to crank up the critical thinking dial. So, ladies, if you’re tuned in and you’ve got a friend with a fancy title but an all-male squad, or a board that’s as diverse as a one-flavour ice cream shop, ask him the million-dollar question: What’s he doing to change things? I’ve posed this to a few pals, and the classic response I get is that they simply couldn’t find any women. Ah, the same tired excuse that even Christine Lagarde grew weary of. If your buddy dishes out the same response, don’t hesitate to nudge him toward improvement. Then, serve up the list I’m about to hand over. 📋👊.

For the wonderful men reading this — If you’re struggling to spot a female talent for your board or executive role, why not extend a hand to one of the women on this list? And if not her, chances are she can introduce you to someone even more outstanding.

For all you aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage founders, here’s a thought: Why not consider one of these remarkable women as a potential mentor?

I recently put ChatGPT to the test, asking for a list of female tech founders. What did I get? An unfinished catalog of non-tech founders, mainly from the US and mainly working in fashion. A reminder, really, not to blindly follow tools like ChatGPT since, let’s face it, they’re just human-made contraptions with their own quirks and blind spots. So, I turned to my trusty network and started inquiring. And guess what? I ended up with an even more awe-inspiring list than I could’ve imagined. Some of these leaders have lit a fire under me, making me think, “Why not aim higher? If they can do it, why not me?”.

I have added these women into this excel sheet. I hope it can grow with time. It is publicly available for you to add more in. Please do. The list includes not only tech founders but also individuals who have made significant contributions to various aspects of the startup ecosystem and venture capital. Some are working on diverse and innovative projects, and a few have founded products that are widely recognized and used, challenging preconceptions about leadership roles. This list is in no way complete — nor does it represent everyone great out there. Obviously there are more. Add more in. I have tried to cover women from many corners of the world — however — the world is big.

THE LIST OF 100 GLOBAL FEMALE FOUNDERS

So, like Christine Lagarde, I hope that this list can inspire women and serve as a reminder to those in power that if you can’t find a woman in your network, it’s more a reflection of the limitations and blind spots of your network than a representation of reality.