Advancing Gender Equality in Venture Capital: What the Evidence Says about the Current State of the Industry and How to Promote more Gender Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion
Women and Public Policy Program, Harvard Kennedy School
First published October 2019
This research report describes the current state of gender equality in the U.S. venture capital (VC) industry and offers a practical way forward to close its significant gender gaps. It is intended to be an accessible resource for practitioners in the venture ecosystem, as well as a helpful reference document for journalists, scholars, and others interested in understanding gender dynamics in venture capital.
This document draws on an 18-month academic research project by the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard Kennedy School as part of its gender and technology research portfolio. This document also incorporates an extensive review of existing academic and popular literature related to gender in venture capital and entrepreneurship. The research team thanks the New England Venture Capital Association and Culturintel for their collaboration on the study.