Over the last two decades, angel investors and women-led VC funds have exploded onto the investment scene revealing a bright spot for the future of real estate.
GLOBAL OVERVIEW OF FEMALE ANGEL INVESTORS
A study released in 2020 by Women in VC, the largest global community of its kind, showed that in the US alone 4.9% of VC partners are women, with less than half of them founding partners.
Supporting the evidence, Angel Capital Association revealed that in 2004 female angle investors made up 5% but in 2021 the percentage grew to 33.6%. It’s a positive sign, over the last 15-years, research from ACA has shown that companies with female CEOs at the helm have increased from 5% in 2015 to 21% in 2018.
A SNAPSHOT OF FEMALE ANGEL INVESTORS AND FEMALE-LED VCs IN THE MENA
According to Wamda, a MENA-based research platform, less than USD 50 million was invested female-led start-ups in the first nine months last year. While female-founded MENA start-ups raised a total of USD 34.6 million in 2021, which made up 1.2% of the MENA region’s VC funding. The 1.2% figure – which reflects global trends – increased to 8.5% when compared to start-ups which included women on its partnership and founding team.
While the figures might reveal a massive gender disparity, local initiatives look to turn the tide. The 2022 Female Angels was created last year in the UAE. Their goal, to radically increase the number of female investors and to eventually diversify, disrupt and transform the investment landscape in the MENA region.
“Our goal is to achieve gender equity in the investment ecosystem in the Middle East and North Africa. To do this, we are building a network of 2,2022 female angel investors…” the website reads.
Through its first female angel investment network, Tiye Angels, Egypt also plans to provide a platform for female investors. Launched in 2021, the platform will look to not only train female investors but also identity and support female-led start-ups in the country.
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