In this roundtable discussion, experts from European venture capital and innovation ecosystems share insights on empowering women in these fields. The conversation addressed the importance of female representation in venture capital, investment in women-led startups, women's challenges in these industries, and initiatives to support female entrepreneurs.

The dialogue also touches on inclusive innovation policies, the impact of parental leave on careers, and strategies for long-term solutions to encourage more women to pursue careers in science, technology, and engineering.

Our guests were:

• Ralitsa Zhekova, Executive Director at RAPIV
• Deepali Nangia, Partner at Speedinvest
• Iwona Cymerman, General Partner at FundingBox Deep Tech Fund
• Jone Vaituleviciute, General Partner at FIRSTPICK

The roundtable happened as part of the CO-INVESTIN project, an EU-funded project to connect our beautiful European investment ecosystems while strengthening transparency and inclusion across the ecosystem ✊.

Go to eu.vc for our core learnings and the full video interview 👀

Chapters:

07:04 Inclusive Innovation Policies
09:52 Challenges in Female Representation
11:53 Breaking Barriers in Venture Capital
21:47 High Churn Rates Among Women in Venture
27:36 Strategies for Retaining Women in Venture
30:57 Empowering Women in the Workplace
31:58 Challenges Faced by Women and Ethnic Minorities
32:06 Balancing Parenthood and Career in Venture Capital
33:19 Parental Policies in Small vs. Large Funds
34:07 Personal Experiences with Parental Leave
36:35 The Reality of Parenthood in High-Level Careers
40:02 Gender Roles and Societal Expectations
43:56 The Importance of Open and Transparent Relationships
51:15 Encouraging Women in STEM