The Funding Gap Persists: Why We Need More Women Investors

As highlighted by Africa: The Big Deal, female founders continue to face significant challenges in securing funding compared to their male counterparts. They are often represented in fewer deals and raise less capital on average. This disparity in funding allocation underscores the missed opportunity for growth and innovation, with funding predominantly favoring male-founded and male-led ventures. In Q1 2024, less than 1% of funding was allocated to startups without at least one male founder, while only 6.5% went to female CEOs.

“The underrepresentation of women in investment roles result in a lack of visible role models for aspiring female investors. This absence of representation perpetuates the perception that investment roles are not suitable or accessible to women. Highlighting the achievements of successful female investors in the African tech ecosystem can inspire and motivate other women considering careers in investment.” 

At Rising Tide Africa, we acknowledge this and remain committed to increasing women’s participation in angel investing as an asset class, developing female founders, and closing the gender funding gap.

Our first in-person deal day for the year 2024 was held on Thursday, 21st March 2024. The event, was sponsored by The African Angel Academy, UK-Nigeria Tech Hub, and Providus Bank, and opened with a welcome address from the Rising Tide Africa (RTA) Chairman, Evelyn Oputu with a panel session and pitches from 5 promising female-led/owned start-ups. 
 

Uwana Energy powers small businesses and residences with affordable solar power boxes, enabling customers to reduce their time and money expenditure drastically.

Zimi provides trade finance, financial management tools, and access to markets for African creative brands.

My Food Angels, a FoodTech platform that connects customers with high-quality farm-fresh foods and provides personalized meal recommendations based on available ingredients using AI.

Ginger, an all-in-one beauty wholesale and retail destination empowering local beauty businesses and entrepreneurs across Africa.

Workonnect, a platform that aims to bridge the gap between jobseekers & recruiters, streamlining the recruitment process and matching candidates with the right opportunities.

Irene Ochem shared insights on how Rising Tide Africa is committed to advancing entrepreneurial activity on the continent at the Global Entrepreneurship Congress+ Africa (GEC+ Africa) in Cape Town, South Africa.

The journey of women in leadership is a narrative of resilience and tenacity, marked by a relentless struggle against deeply entrenched societal norms and institutional barriers. These trailblazers continue to break records and challenge the status-quo. Among them is Odiri Oginni who has made a lasting impact in the finance world. 

In this exclusive interview, Odiri shares her inspiring journey and commitment to addressing Nigeria’s abnormally large gender gap in financial inclusion.

Alitheia Capital won the DEI Champion Award at the 2024 Annual AVCA– The African Private Capital Association Conference in Johannesburg!

Aruwa Capital Management won the Newcomer award at the AVCA – The African Private Capital Association’s 20th Anniversary Conference Awards! 

Watch the recordings of our other events here.