Female Founders Are Everywhere – So Why Do VCs Struggle to Find Them?

Hi ,

Blackbird and Airtree recently admitted that women-only founding teams still receive just 2 % of their capital—well below their own targets. The default explanation? A pipeline problem.

But the data tells a different story. This isn’t a one-off blip—it’s a persistent, ecosystem-wide trend. For the past three years, women-only founding teams have attracted roughly 2–3 % of total venture funding each year, with mixed-gender teams receiving a small bump but still far below parity. The numbers simply haven’t moved.

The issue isn’t a lack of ambitious female founders—it’s entrenched sourcing habits and allocation patterns that keep the same types of deals in circulation. Instead of lamenting a lack of talent, we should be celebrating the women building bold, game-changing climate and nature ventures.

Female Founders in our Community

Here are just a few of the women powering our ecosystem:

• Safia Qureshi – CLUBZERØ: Architect turned entrepreneur, Safia built a reuse platform that has eliminated 2.6 million disposable items and saved 40 t of CO₂.

• Abbie Morris – Compare Ethics: Abbie’s AI‑driven compliance platform reduces ESG verification costs by up to 80 %.

• Tamara Goldstein – Smart Container Company: Tamara’s IoT keg tracker cuts overstock by 70 % and reduces beer spoilage by 5 %.

• Somayeh Taheri – UrbanChain: Somayeh’s peer‑to‑peer energy marketplace lets households buy cheaper, local renewables and is pioneering the UK’s first P2P green energy.
  

• Bella Soares & Sarah Humphrys – AimHi Earth: Alongside Matthew Shribman, they built a climate‑education company whose live training makes 92 % of attendees change behaviour and 91 % inspire others.

• Dr Ana Novak & Eva Chiu – Blue Carbon: Ana and Eva’s wave‑powered devices are turning the ocean into a carbon‑capture ally.

• Sylvia Tokic – Electro Base: Sylvia co‑founded the mobile super‑charger company powering trackless trams and off‑grid EVs.

• Jennifer Wainwright – Agave Resources Australia: Jennifer is pioneering agave crops for fibres and biofuels, creating new industries in the north.

• Aura Murillo Pérez & Louise Skajem – Resting Reef: This award-winning, startup turns ashes into marine memorial reefs, achieving 14× higher biodiversity than nearby degraded reefs.
  

• Raaise: We’re female‑founded and female‑led.

These women aren’t edge cases; they’re the vanguard. They aren’t hard to find—you just have to look beyond your usual network.

🎥 Aura Murillo and Louise Skajem share how Resting Reef is turning ashes into living reef memorials that heal oceans and honour lives.

Why the Gap Persists

• Sourcing: If you keep fishing in the same pond, you’ll catch the same fish. Great founders exist outside the usual circles.
  

• Bias: Women often field preventative questions about risk, whereas men get promotional questions about potential. This framing shapes perceptions long before term sheets appear.
  

• Early‑stage access: Without early support, fewer women get the runway to scale. Later rounds can only go to those who were backed early.

Takeaways

• The pipeline isn’t empty—female founders are building world‑class companies right now.
  

• Investors who widen their networks and interrogate their own biases unlock better returns and stronger portfolios.
  

• An inclusive ecosystem benefits everyone; diverse teams deliver superior performance.
  

• Celebrating these stories draws more talent and capital to climate and nature tech.

Final thought

Rather than lamenting a lack of women to invest in, let’s amplify the ones who are already here. Our community proves that women will lead the charge to a sustainable future, if only they’re given the backing they deserve.

BE100 applications extended

A quick heads‑up for founders: Blue Earth has extended the BE100 application deadline to 22 September. If you’re building a pro‑planet venture, there’s still time to apply and join a cohort of mission‑aligned founders, investors and partners.

→ Apply here

The talent is here. The ambition is here. Female founders are building the future. If you want to be part of it—whether as a founder or an investor—let’s make the introductions that matter.

→ Join Raaise

Here’s to raising capital on your terms.

Amy and the Team @ Raaise

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