Introducing Breaking Down Barriers

Entrepreneurship epitomizes the American Dream; the idea of creating something out of a sheer idea. This exciting prospect is a sentiment the United States prides itself on, yet it is notoriously only afforded to a small percentage of the population. Historic sexism and racism has been heavily influential in all aspects of society, but especially within the business realm. The question of why certain start-ups are successful is influenced greatly by these connotations. Yes, it takes ample planning, diligence, and networking to gain recognition, but the metaphorical and literal “old boys club” alleviates much of this struggle for certain individuals while simultaneously increasing said struggle for those without the coveted membership.

Social movements throughout recent years have illuminated society’s sexist and racist tendencies; it is especially apparent within the entrepreneurial industry. According to data from Crunchbase, in 2019 male-founded companies raised $195 billion whereas female-only founded companies raised merely $6 billion. This is just one of the many statistics that glaringly highlight the disparities between women-founded and men-founded businesses. 

The purpose of this blog series is to highlight the work of innovative women and minorities that are striving to close this investment gap. It is proven that when society invests into women, the overall productivity of the nation skyrockets; the same can be said for businesses. Only investing in certain startups based on demographics limits potential earnings and ground-breaking ideas as each group faces unique problems. The goal of a startup is to efficiently problem-solve; it is in society’s best interest to invest in every good idea, not just the ideas from those who have similar complections, sexual identities, and backgrounds.