This is the title of a Forbes article that was written as the 2006 Midas List was published. Among the 100 in this list, there are 5 women venture capitalists, all from the field of Life Sciences. (BTW – Yossi Sela, Gemini’s Managing Partner was in the list too - congratulations Yossi!!).
So, where are the women? The article gives some good insights, less women in engineering schools, less in executive operational positions, fewer Stanford MBA grads, etc., etc. Basically, through out the steps required from one’s career to become more “VC compatible”, there are fewer and fewer women, hence the end result. Even in the VC blogger community only 8 women VC bloggers (Venture Chicks), were identified.
When I joined the Israeli VC community in 1994, there were no women partners in the business. It took a few years but we have representation in most of the firms (with the exception of the Israeli branches of US firms, which among them have 0….. hmmmm…). But still, it remains a very male dominated industry even here.
So, what to do about it? Start when women are girls… Math is an important subject for boys and girls, encourage them regardless of gender. As parents, push your sons and daughters in the same way. If one is not inclined to these subjects, so be it, but what a waste of all those smart, smart, smart women that were directed at more “women friendly” careers when they were young, which do not allow them to fulfill potential.
I’m not underestimating the challenges. I’ve “been there, done that”. But I truly believe that if you point people in the right direction, eliminating other “considerations”, things will fall into place.
Looking forward to 2026 Midas List….
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