Female Founders See 56% More Opportunities With AI

Female founders in North America are increasingly optimistic about the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to address the challenges they face in funding and scaling their startups. According to a survey conducted by the early-stage VC firm Graham & Walker, 56% of all-female founding teams see "more opportunities" because of AI, compared to 46% of mixed-gender founding teams. This optimism is particularly notable given the significant hurdles female founders face in securing funding and scaling their businesses.

The survey, which included 180 female founders of "VC scalable" startups, revealed that 71% of founders found raising their last round of funding to be more difficult than anticipated. Forty percent of these founders attributed the difficulty to their gender, highlighting the persistent gender bias in the venture capital landscape. Despite these challenges, female founders are looking to AI as a means to scale their businesses with less capital, potentially bypassing some of the traditional fundraising obstacles.

In addition to gender bias, female founders also face other fundraising challenges, such as "shifting goalposts" where early-stage investors expect founders to meet benchmarks typically reserved for later-stage funding rounds. This dynamic can make it even more difficult for female founders to secure the necessary capital to grow their businesses. Furthermore, the survey highlighted the experiences of female founders with female investors, with some founders noting that female investors are "harder to win over" and require "every box to be checked."

Despite these challenges, the optimism surrounding AI among female founders is a positive sign. AI has the potential to revolutionize various aspects of business operations, from marketing and customer service to data analysis and decision-making. By leveraging AI, female founders may be able to streamline their operations, reduce costs, and ultimately achieve greater success in scaling their startups. This optimism reflects a broader trend of entrepreneurs looking to technology to overcome traditional barriers to growth and success.