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Female co-founder (not CEO): can this be an obstacle for investors' decision?
We're a team of three founders (plus one non-founder) recently applied to YCombinator. One of us is a young woman (web designer) and she thinks we're better off not listing her as a co-founder.
There are many articles and interviews saying that VCs welcome female startup CEOs, but it's unclear about female co-founders (not CEO). It's perceived that in general women are more emotional, so does that throw up red flags to some investors, since they may consider it a higher risk that the team could split up?
- YuriNiyazov 14y agoThis is insane. First of all, no one's going to bat an eyelash that you have a female cofounder, and if an investor decides not to fund you because you have a female cofounder, then it is not an investor worth taking money from. Second of all, if you don't list her as a co-founder now and you have interest from investors, what are you going to do, lie about it, or say "oh, shit, I am sorry, we forgot to list one of our cofounders earlier?" Regardless of how you think having a female cofounder makes you look, forgetting to list someone as a cofounder or lying is an immediate disqualifier.
- itsybaev 14y agoWhy lie? You can be part of the team, but at the same time, not a co-owner.
- YuriNiyazov 14y agoI am sorry, I am thoroughly confused. "In reality", is she a full-on cofounder or just an employee with some stock? Whatever that reality is, you must communicate that reality to your investors.
- itsybaev 14y agoA valuable employee, who's brought some fresh ideas as well.
- leepowers 14y agoA VC who will marginalize an intelligent and productive co-founder just because that person has the wrong set of chromosomes - such a VC, I'm sorry, there's no polite way to say this - is a fucking moron. (I may be naive, but I find it hard to believe that such a VC exists). You do not want to do business with this kind of investor. You're creating a new, cutting-edge technology. A sexist, luddite dinosaur is not the type of person you want funding and influencing business decisions. Don't hide the fact that you have a female founder. Her presence will filter out any sexist assholes and will ensure you find a true financial partner, whose interests align with your own.
- itsybaev 14y agoTrue. But not everyone has progressive view of life, especially some "old school (in a bad way) people" .
- YuriNiyazov 14y agoYou don't want their money.
- leepowers 14y agoAbsolutely, people like this may exist. And you don't want to jump into business with this type of person, no matter how much money they may offer.
- onlyup 14y agoIt seems that if anything having a woman as a cofounder would be a positive thing. I am basing this off all the "women in tech" initiatives from big players in the industry.
- itsybaev 14y agoBig players and startups are quite different cases..
- onlyup 14y ago> she thinks we're better off not listing her as a co-founder. Why does she think this?
- itsybaev 14y agoThat's her opinion: "It's perceived that in general women are more emotional, so that may throw up red flags to some investors, since they may consider it a higher risk that the team could split up"
- YuriNiyazov 14y agoSo what? It's also "perceived" that women are more scheming, which could be a thorough advantage in business.
- itsybaev 14y agoProbably that's the main reason for some VCs to especially welcome female startup CEOs, lol. But we're talking not about CEO.
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- jorgenev 14y agoNo, do not misrepresent yourself or your team. However, if I were you I would reconsider your plan. I think you may need a clinic specializing in paranoia more than you need a start up accelerator.