Welcome to my blog post, where we’ll be diving into a topic that’s been buzzing around in venture capital circles: the known bias in the industry against emerging, diverse fund managers. From female VCs being cast as monolithic to having to rebrand their firms altogether, the issue has become a branding problem for some.
In this post, we’ll take a look at the original TechCrunch article that explores this issue, and also touch on some of the key points discussed at the recent Upfront Summit 2023, including the omnipresent celebrity of AI in the industry.
Let’s start with the original article, “For female VCs, bias is a branding issue” by Natasha Mascarenhas and Rebecca Szkutak on TC+. It’s an eye-opening read that delves into the challenges female VCs face as they launch their funds. From being compared to every other female VC to only being expected to invest in female founders, the stereotypes and biases are hard to ignore. The article also highlights how some female VCs have had to rebrand their firms altogether, so they are seen as beyond their gender.
Moving on to the Upfront Summit 2023, we’ll look at the AI conversations that dominated the event. As Natasha Mascarenhas points out in her review of the summit on TechCrunch, AI was the star of the show. However, the atmosphere was different from previous years, with venture dry powder locked up, deals taking longer to get done, and investors still recovering from recent downturns.
Lastly, we’ll touch on some other TechCrunch articles that you should check out, including news of Better.com’s surprising partnership with Amazon and a look at some of the top headlines from the week.
Overall, this blog post provides a window into some of the key issues facing emerging fund managers in the venture capital industry. It’s an essential read for anyone looking to understand the challenges of being a female VC, and the impact of current industry trends on the landscape. So, hit the subscribe button and join me on this journey of discovery.