24 ms·

Are you saying male investors won't invest in a promising start up because it's female-run?

SwellJoe 10y ago
I responded to someone who said "There's no shortage of women with money." So, in this particular comment, I am saying exactly what I said: There is a severe shortage of women with money who are making decisions in the tech funding industry. I'll go even further to suggest that the gap is even larger in tech investing than it is in tech in the general case. But, since you asked: I will now say that there are biases in our industry that perhaps those of us not subject to them do not see. Those biases adversely impact the ability of women (and some people of color) to rise to positions of influence in the tech industry. I don't believe this is a controversial assertion (despite all of my comments to this effect being voted down). I consider the matter well-known to anyone who's willing to listen to the people it affects.
- skookumchuck 10y ago
  I personally know lots of women who are multimillionaires. Maybe you should be asking them why they don't start VC funds. There is nobody to tell them they can't. Why doesn't Marissa Meyers start one? or Melinda Gates? or Chelsea Clinton? or Madonna? or Ellen Pao? or Oprah?
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
  - SwellJoe 10y ago
    I can't ask them, because I don't personally know any women who are multimillionaires (except Jessica Livingston, who already does more than nearly anyone on this front). I do personally know a number of men who are multi-millionaires (even a few billionaires). All of them invest in tech; for most of them, I do not know their criteria for choosing what to invest in, but I would guess they try to avoid gender and racial bias...but, what we do not see and understand we can't necessarily address.
    - skookumchuck 10y ago
      Talk to any stock broker. You'll find there are plenty of women with substantial investment portfolios. I don't see how it is the fault of men if those women choose not to fund women startups.
      - grzm 10y ago
        I'm trying to understand where you're coming from with "I don't see how it is the fault of men if those women choose not to fund women startups." I can follow a chain of logic that goes something like: - there's a lack of gender diversity in tech, in that there are disproportionately fewer women. - this is a problem we should solve - given that there's more men in tech, they're somehow to blame Is this an accurate representation of how you get to "I don't see how it is the fault of men"? I don't see (most) people blaming men as intentionally causing this problem. I see plenty of people, men and women, at trying to figure out how to understand the disproportionate lack of women and do something about it. Similarly, I don't see it as the responsibility of women to do this on their own. If I've completely misinterpreted your comment, it wouldn't be the first time. I don't mean to put words in your mouth. Please do elaborate and correct me if and where I've misunderstood.
        skookumchuck 10y ago
        I see men being blamed, whether they are intentional or not. I also see men being put forward as being responsible for a solution. I.e. that women cannot succeed without the aid, approval, and encouragement of men. I view this as an unfortunate sexist and patronizing attitude, and is ultimately a destructive one. Women do not need the aid, approval, or encouragement from men to succeed in tech. This applies to everyone else, too. There's never been a time of more opportunity for everyone in the US. If people need excuses for failure, there's an endless list of them. There is no fixing that (like how my coming up with a few thousand to start a business was dismissed.) Successful people don't look for excuses and don't make excuses. They go out and get things done.
        10y ago
  - watwut 10y ago
    Arent most VC funds playing with someone elses money? Like various retirement funds and whatever?

I responded to someone who said "There's no shortage of women with money." So, in this particular comment, I am saying exactly what I said: There is a severe shortage of women with money who are making decisions in the tech funding industry. I'll go even further to suggest that the gap is even larger in tech investing than it is in tech in the general case. But, since you asked: I will now say that there are biases in our industry that perhaps those of us not subject to them do not see. Those biases adversely impact the ability of women (and some people of color) to rise to positions of influence in the tech industry. I don't believe this is a controversial assertion (despite all of my comments to this effect being voted down). I consider the matter well-known to anyone who's willing to listen to the people it affects.

skookumchuck 10y ago
I personally know lots of women who are multimillionaires. Maybe you should be asking them why they don't start VC funds. There is nobody to tell them they can't. Why doesn't Marissa Meyers start one? or Melinda Gates? or Chelsea Clinton? or Madonna? or Ellen Pao? or Oprah?
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- SwellJoe 10y ago
  I can't ask them, because I don't personally know any women who are multimillionaires (except Jessica Livingston, who already does more than nearly anyone on this front). I do personally know a number of men who are multi-millionaires (even a few billionaires). All of them invest in tech; for most of them, I do not know their criteria for choosing what to invest in, but I would guess they try to avoid gender and racial bias...but, what we do not see and understand we can't necessarily address.
  - skookumchuck 10y ago
    Talk to any stock broker. You'll find there are plenty of women with substantial investment portfolios. I don't see how it is the fault of men if those women choose not to fund women startups.
    - grzm 10y ago
      I'm trying to understand where you're coming from with "I don't see how it is the fault of men if those women choose not to fund women startups." I can follow a chain of logic that goes something like: - there's a lack of gender diversity in tech, in that there are disproportionately fewer women. - this is a problem we should solve - given that there's more men in tech, they're somehow to blame Is this an accurate representation of how you get to "I don't see how it is the fault of men"? I don't see (most) people blaming men as intentionally causing this problem. I see plenty of people, men and women, at trying to figure out how to understand the disproportionate lack of women and do something about it. Similarly, I don't see it as the responsibility of women to do this on their own. If I've completely misinterpreted your comment, it wouldn't be the first time. I don't mean to put words in your mouth. Please do elaborate and correct me if and where I've misunderstood.
      - skookumchuck 10y ago
        I see men being blamed, whether they are intentional or not. I also see men being put forward as being responsible for a solution. I.e. that women cannot succeed without the aid, approval, and encouragement of men. I view this as an unfortunate sexist and patronizing attitude, and is ultimately a destructive one. Women do not need the aid, approval, or encouragement from men to succeed in tech. This applies to everyone else, too. There's never been a time of more opportunity for everyone in the US. If people need excuses for failure, there's an endless list of them. There is no fixing that (like how my coming up with a few thousand to start a business was dismissed.) Successful people don't look for excuses and don't make excuses. They go out and get things done.
        10y ago
- watwut 10y ago
  Arent most VC funds playing with someone elses money? Like various retirement funds and whatever?