Since 2008, startups founded by women have received only 5% of venture capital funding (Sista/BCG study 2019). This is mainly due to investment funds led by a majority of men. The latter invest mainly in startups led by men. Indeed, they lack confidence in the entrepreneurial capacities of women.
Today, many public schemes and private initiatives are trying to bridge this gap. These schemes and initiatives intervene at different stages of development of startups.
Advimotion is a financial consulting firm that assists startups and SMEs in obtaining non-dilutive financing and equity fundraising. We also act as advisors in corporate divestiture transactions to best represent the interests of sellers.
We offer strategic consulting and outsourced CFO services to ensure the financial and operational monitoring of your business. Finally, we take care of the drafting of investor documentation : business plan, pitch deck, creation of reporting files and valuation calculations.
For more information, please contact us.
Public schemes for startups founded by women in the seed phase
To encourage female entrepreneurship, the government has set up a number of grants:
- The EQUALITY women’s guarantee : a bank guarantee that covers 80% of the bank loan up to a maximum of €50,000.
- The Initiative France honorary loan : A loan of an average of €9,700 to strengthen the equity capital and thus facilitate access to loans.
Private initiatives for startups founded by women in the development phase
By signing the Sista charter, 56 investment funds have committed to financing at least 50% of startups founded by women by 2050.
Below is the list of the 56 funds that have signed the Sista charter.
Alter Equity 3P, Alven, Angel Square, Apicap, Aster Capital, Astorya, Axeleo, Bpifrance, Blisce, Breega, Caphorn, Cathay Innovation, Citizen Capital, Crédit Mutuel Arkéa, C4 Ventures, Daphni, Day One, Demeter Partners, Duval Ventures, Educapital, Elaia Partners, Entrepreneur First, Entrepreneur Venture, Fiblac, Founders Factory, Founders Future, Gaia, Hardware Club, Hiinov, IDINVEST, Investir&+, IRIS Capital, ISAI, Kerala, Kernel Investissement, Kima Ventures, Korelya Capital, Maif Avenir, MISS (Maif Investissement Social et Solidaire), Newfund, Next Stage, OneRagtime, October, Partech, RAISE, Red River West, RING Capital, Samaipata, Serena Capital, SIDE, Technofounders (TF Participations), 360 Capital Partners, Truffle, Ventech, West Web Valley and White Star Capital.
Therefore, do not hesitate to approach these investment funds that want to finance startups founded by women. And don’t forget that Advimotion is there to support you in your efforts.
A question of self-confidence and skills above all
Today, the status quo is changing as new opportunities are opening up for women entrepreneurs, regardless of the stage of development of their startup. Being an entrepreneur and raising funds is not a question of gender but rather a question of skills, self-confidence and knowledge of your market. So, take your courage in both hands and go raise millions.
Some tips for success
1. Start early
The sooner you start, the sooner you will progress. There is nothing like learning from your mistakes to progress. Starting early will give you experience.
2. Trust yourself
As mentioned before, it is all about self-confidence. So, don’t be afraid of rejection or feeling alone and don’t hesitate to surround yourself with people who will pull you up, who will be able to answer your questions, give you support and believe in you and your project.
3. Respond to a problem
You start your day by telling yourself that you are going to solve a problem? Then you’re on the right track. You absolutely must develop a solution to an existing problem. You will learn from your experiences (and mistakes).
4. Passion above all
We advise you to choose a field you are passionate about. You should be excited about working on your project and this excitement will be the element that will keep you motivated when you encounter difficulties. Keep in mind that no idea is bad. It’s all in the execution of your idea. This is what will ensure the success of your project.
5. Don’t wait for the “right time
You should not wait until you feel ready because that long awaited moment to launch your business may never come. You will then waste time and be overwhelmed by doubt. Rather than thinking about all the possibilities and scenarios before taking action, act and then think. You must take an action and then reflect and analyze it. This way you will progress. If you are still hesitant after taking action, don’t hesitate to turn to different structures for support.
6. A good entourage
You are the sum of the five people you are most in contact with. It is well known. Surrounding yourself well is essential. The team is the most important factor in the success of a startup. Working together and sharing values, knowledge and skills will contribute to the success of the project. Complementarity through the experiences of each person will guarantee the development of the expertise of your company.
7. Find your values
Finding the values that make you tick and that define your business will give meaning to your project and allow you to find your way. This will create harmony in your actions and everything will become simpler because you will be fully aware of your sources of motivation and the way you operate. From then on, you will take control !
PS : At Advimotion, diversity counts. We have accompanied almost as many female as male entrepreneurs. So ladies, don’t hesitate to ask us to accompany you in your entrepreneurial adventure.
Advimotion, your growth partner.
