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Theresia Gouw Ranzetta, Accel Venture Capital partner, on how the gender gap can be closed in technology, and investing in women-run businesses.
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Demon retail the technology sector has long been dominated by men that women are beginning to break that glass ceiling in Silicon Valley a lot of them.
With new retail online venture -- and lots of other types of ventures according to women 2.0.
Women account for one in every four jobs in the technology sector that's not.
Certainly the trend that we want to encourage going forward so what is being done to close the gender gap joining me now -- to resent our brands at a a partner at -- venture capital firm that has invested in seven and many popular technology companies out there started by women think you for joining since you do today.
Anything to be here so let me ask you right after that -- are on the front lines of investing why do you think that the female gender is so -- under represented in the technology industry.
You know I think that historically there's been you know both the pipeline problem right not enough young women who go into math and science and computer science and engineering.
In their studies and then later in their careers.
And then also and not enough -- kind of who do go into the business sector or whether -- -- or otherwise.
Sort of moving forward in reaching the top of those of those.
Major companies I've really been encouraged so I actually join -- venture capital industry in 99 in nineteen a massive shift.
In that last ten years both in terms of the number of women coming in and there's two big reasons why -- -- I really believe that the best way to see change in technology at the top.
Is to encourage our young women to start technology companies that the fastest way to being CEO or in the C suite of fortune.
-- -- company don't -- up the -- create the latter yourself.
So what -- Wait what do you see is in two biggest reasons for this shift that you noticed over the last ten parents yes so it's really been two things one is what I call the rise in the entrepreneurial generation which are often called the millennial -- the digital generation.
This is a generation that is going into partnership in record percentages as opposed to going to the corporate latter.
And interestingly -- within this group it's a much more equal split between.
Male and female founders we've observed this qualitatively in our portfolio.
You know in in -- box learn vast.
Want clock.
-- and many others and then quantitative -- there's an interesting MIT study that shows the same.
What it will also what we've also notice is that women are also pressing a lot of opportunities.
In retail and advertising they tend to have that.
Stronger presence in those more traditional forms -- traditional industries that are now migrating to the -- Do you think -- that's -- best place for women to sort of jump in where we're gonna see that trend change even more so.
-- you know I think that it's a place and and that's certainly he's been a lot of the driver certainly consumer Internet.
And social shopping in social media companies have been a lot of the new companies have been started in the last several years.
And I think women disproportionately.
Are on key influencers in that economy so even in something like.
Group on her FaceBook which -- two companies where involved in which clearly -- you know roughly equal male and female.
Members we find in both of those companies that women account for two thirds of the sharing.
So this is interesting because the fact not lost not only on women but on -- -- And so I think you're starting to see more and more women realizing they have an important voice -- -- at the table to start a company.
You are not only looking at women that led companies to look at a broad swap -- -- new ventures out there for women for small businesses it ever.
Who are running small businesses were thinking -- out.
Running small businesses what sort of advice can you give -- down about how to pitch a company like yours about becoming successful.
You know I think the the biggest thing I can say is taking advantage of a lot of -- both formal and informal networking groups that are out there so.
I give you -- short list of hey here's high you pitch to a DC here here's high you pitch to a bank.
But talk -- other people who have gone before you so there's formal groups like women to not -- and I asked the and then their informal groups like hearing New York.
-- CEOs are in and then in the valley women of Silicon Valley which you Sheryl -- from FaceBook start -- so experience counts and take advantage of those who have actually are right thanks Teresa -- -- -- -- -- venture -- -- -- To -- list claiming a supreme.
