Getting a startup off the ground requires a great idea — and a lot of money.
Women-based companies only get a sliver of funding that men’s companies get — approximately 2% — but a new panel series about angel investing aims to help lower the barriers for women to invest in companies they believe in.
“The more women we can get writing checks, the more women will get funded,” said Stephanie Marshall, Board President of Citrine Angels, and its nonprofit arm, Citrine Impact.
An angel investor is someone with a high net worth who provides early-stage capital to startups, usually in exchange for equity. Angel investors use their own money, unlike venture capitalists who manage others’ funds.
Starting Feb. 25, at Refraction in Tysons Corner, Citrine Angels will hold a Female Funder Panel Series. The series is free of charge.
“We’re demystifying the angel investing experience,” Marshall said. “How do I make the decision to actually write that first check? How much should I be investing? How many investments should I make?”
According to the Center for Venture Research, women represented 39.1% of the active angel investor market, down from 46.7% in 2023.
“The unknown is scary,” Marshall said. “Maybe, as women, we’re used to socking away our 401(k) or investing in some stocks, but angel investing and private equity is a little bit different.”
She says angel investors can align their investments with their personal values and priorities.
“Maybe I grew up in the wireless industry, and I love wearables, and believe they can lead to better outcomes for health,” she offers, as an example. “I may decide that I’m only going to invest in wearables, because I understand that industry and what needs to happen in order for those companies to be successful, and for me to get my money back.”
The series is designed for those who are “angel curious,” but may not necessarily see themselves as “investors” yet, and would benefit from an accessible on-ramp into angel investing.
“Diversity among investors directly shapes where money flows and which ideas are funded,” Marshall said.
“Even if I don’t have the trust fund or network of people to go to, and my family and friends don’t have 10, 20, or $30,000 dollars to give me, there are options,” she said.
“There’s non-dilutive funding, there’s grants, there are other ways you can get start up funding to get your startup off the ground.”
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