Forbes: VC's 'Double Bias' Overlooks Women Founders Over 50

A recent Forbes report highlights a significant oversight in venture capital funding: the systematic neglect of women founders over 50. Despite demonstrating considerable potential, these entrepreneurs receive less than two percent of all venture capital investment, representing a missed opportunity for investors. The report challenges the Silicon Valley assumption that innovation is solely the domain of younger individuals, emphasizing diversity as a key driver of investment portfolio success. Women over 50 represent an untapped market of experienced innovators, many of whom launch businesses after extensive corporate careers. Their background often includes managing budgets, families, and navigating economic downturns, contributing to their financial acumen. For this demographic, entrepreneurship is frequently a deliberate path towards financial independence, characterized by businesses built on sustainability, strategy, and profitability. However, women founders over 50 face a 'double bias' based on both gender and age when seeking venture capital. The venture capital industry's preference for founders who fit established success patterns – typically young, male, and tech-focused – perpetuates this disparity, despite research indicating that older entrepreneurs are often more successful. Referencing an MIT study, the Forbes report underscores experience as a crucial indicator of entrepreneurial success. Consequently, investors who disregard women founders over 50 are potentially making a critical misjudgment.