Asking better questions

The effect of changing investment organizations’ evaluation practices on gender disparities in funding innovation.

From:
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Published
4 December 2023
Document Type:
Working Paper
Theme:
Economic Growth
Authors:
Miller, A, Lall, S. A., Goldstein, M. P., Montalvao Machado, J. H. C.

Abstract

Female innovators raise fewer resources from investors, even when their ventures are similar to those of all-male teams. Efforts to mitigate the disparities have typically focused on changing how founders seek investment. However, the causes of gender disparities are systemic: in uncertain contexts, evaluators value women’s competence or leadership potential lower than men’s, and investors inquire more about risks when facing female founders than males.

This is an output from the Africa Gender Innovation Lab programme.

Citation

Miller, Amisha; Lall, Saurabh A.; Goldstein, Markus P.; Montalvao Machado, Joao H. C.. Asking Better Questions : The Effect of Changing Investment Organizations’ Evaluation Practices on Gender Disparities in Funding Innovation (English). Policy research working paper, no. WPS 10625, Impact Evaluation series, Washington, D.C. World Bank Group 2023

Asking better questions: The effect of changing investment organizations’ evaluation practices on gender disparities in funding innovation

Published 4 December 2023
Contents