Female Founders See Opportunities with AI
– Establishment story. 40% of female founders say that macroeconomic conditions are hurting businesses. 46% say that US political uncertainty is also a direct threat. But amidst the challenges of tariffs, weakening consumer trust, and political attacks on diversity and inclusion, women founders see opportunities in other areas: AI.
Early VC firm Graham & Walker collected these results from A survey of 180 female founders A North American “VC Scalable” startup.
56% of all female founding teams see “more opportunities” for AI, but only 46% of mixed-gender founding teams say the same thing. The report speculates that female founders (who still cite fundraising as a major challenge) may be looking at AI as a way to scale with less capital and avoid those fundraising challenges. 71% of founders surveyed said it would be harder to raise the final round than they thought. 40% of founders still say that gender is the biggest factor in its difficulties. 2024, According to Pitchbooka team that includes female founders raised 27% more capital than last year, closing $38 billion, but exceeding 13.1% less trading than 2023.
Other funding challenges include “goal post shifts.” It includes changing norms for early stage funding and early stage investors who expect founders to meet benchmarks that may have previously been reserved for Series A.
The 14 founders of the survey specifically called for experience with female investors. Many of the concerns they raised may probably be related to pressures with female investors. The founder surveyed said that female investors were “hard to win” and “every box needs to be checked,” while another sold off women “without the real ability to do business.”
Emma Hinchliff
Emma.Hinchliffe@Fortune.com
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Also in the headline
– Make waves. Tech founder Weily Dai is planning to bring back $237 million on the sale of Alphawave IP Group to Qualcomm. Dai, who founded Marvell Technology and Silicon Box, owns 96.3 million shares in Semiconductor Company Alphawave. Bloomberg
– on the road. With traffic and unruly pedestrians, New York City has long been out of reach of self-driving car companies. Currently, Waymo, led by CO-CEO Tekedra Mawakana, is about to bring the car into the city. Because now I’m in my car to comply with the state laws that require it. Wall Street Journal
– Policy issues. CDC Vaccine policy advisor Dr. Fiona Havers resigned earlier this week, citing attacks on vaccine policy as the reason for her exit. “If it doesn’t stop,” she said New York Times“Many Americans will die as a result of a vaccine-preventable disease.”
– Team success. Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders have been getting a 400% raise after years of dissatisfaction, after cheerleaders begin negotiations. Netflix docusary reveals news of “life-changing” pay bumps American lover. time
Mover and shaker
Surgimate provided software for scheduling surgery and was appointed Jessica Cook As the highest revenue officer. She was recently the SVP for sales at Azalea Health.
Medison, biotechnology commercialization company, name Tali Mirsky Chief and Compliance Officer. Most recently she was Nice’s Corporate VP, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary.
Named Algonquin Power & Utilities Amy Walt Chief customer officer. More recently, she was a VP meter to earn cash at Entergy.
With my radar
Michelle Obama was vilified to the right. Then came Maha Politics
Ouai founder Jen Atkin shares advice that promoted her nine-figure brand Inc.
She says that social media algorithms have led to eating disorders. Now she’s suing Instagram with Tiktok time
Words of farewell
“I tend to drive harder than any job drives me.”
– CEO of Cushman & Wakefield Michelle Mackay The intense pace of work In Istal before resigning – leave from retirement and join her current company as COO