Diversity Woman Magazine

FALL 2015

Leadership and Executive Development for women of all races, cultures and backgrounds

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d i v e r s i t y w o m a n . c o m Fa l l 2 0 1 5 D I V E R S I T Y W O M A N 29 Is equity in the tech sector on the horizon? By Katie Morell N ews out of the technology sector leaves many women feeling discouraged. Te me- dia would have us believe that females are widely discriminated against, that tech start-ups resemble old boys' clubs, and that women don't have much of a chance when it comes to rais- ing capital. Tese reports paint the gender gap in tech with broad strokes and do not tell the whole story. Earlier this year, CrunchBase, a database for tech start- ups, revealed that an increasing number RUZWANA BASHIR "It is dangerous to call this a tech problem." Ruzwana Bashir spent time working in investment banking and private equity before moving to San Francisco in 2011 to launch Peek, a company that ofers unique travel experiences. As for the gender gap in tech, Bashir says the industry gets a bad rap. Te f- nance world is far worse to women. "It is dangerous to call it a tech problem," she says. "Tis is a society problem." While she doesn't discount the challenges women face in the industry, she sees hope with more female founders start- ing companies every year. Meritocracy, she says, is more common in tech than in fnance. Te challenges Bashir has experienced as a woman revolve around a lack of mentors. "I never had one," she says. "Tere are a lot of successful women in all areas of business. We should be tell- ing their stories so the rest of us don't feel so alone. I think when you see im- ages of what it looks like to be someone working in tech and they look diferent from you, you sometimes think you can't do it." Today Bashir speaks with other female founders about jumping in with both feet. "In tech, you have the opportunity to create value and create anew," she says. "You don't have to live by estab- lished cultures. I wouldn't want young women to be turned of by the impres- sions they are getting about the tech world today. Of all the industries out there, tech is the one that can change and move and become more accommo- dating to women." FRAN MAIER "Images matter." Drive down most major interstates around San Francisco, and you will spot We Mean Business > THINKSTOCKPHOTOS The Young Boys' Club Take the Lead of women are launching companies—18 percent of tech start-ups had at least one female founder in 2014, compared with 9.5 percent in 2009. On the fip side, some statistics claim that only 6 percent of venture capital partners are female, which many argue decreases the likelihood that women entrepreneurs will have successful fund-raising rounds. At Diversity Woman, we decided to in- vestigate further. Here are stories from fve female tech founders on the state of the industry for women.

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