E334 | EUVC x CO-INVESTIN | Roundtable on empowering women in innovation and venture

In this roundtable discussion, experts from European venture capital and innovation ecosystems share insights on empowering women in these fields. The conversation addressed the importance of female representation in venture capital, investment in women-led startups, women's challenges in these industries, and initiatives to support female entrepreneurs.The dialogue also touches on inclusive innovation policies, the impact of parental leave on careers, and strategies for long-term solutions to encourage more women to pursue careers in science, technology, and engineering.Our guests were:Ralitsa Zhekova, Executive Director at RAPIVDeepali Nangia, Partner at SpeedinvestIwona Cymerman, General Partner at FundingBox Deep Tech FundJone Vaituleviciute, General Partner at FIRSTPICKThe roundtable happened as part of the CO-INVESTIN project, an EU-funded project to connect our beautiful European investment ecosystems while strengthening transparency and inclusion across the ecosystem ✊.Go to eu.vc for our core learnings and the full video interview 👀Chapters:07:04 Inclusive Innovation Policies09:52 Challenges in Female Representation11:53 Breaking Barriers in Venture Capital21:47 High Churn Rates Among Women in Venture27:36 Strategies for Retaining Women in Venture30:57 Empowering Women in the Workplace31:58 Challenges Faced by Women and Ethnic Minorities32:06 Balancing Parenthood and Career in Venture Capital33:19 Parental Policies in Small vs. Large Funds34:07 Personal Experiences with Parental Leave36:35 The Reality of Parenthood in High-Level Careers40:02 Gender Roles and Societal Expectations43:56 The Importance of Open and Transparent Relationships51:15 Encouraging Women in STEM