Rocket Fuel Ep #6: Investing in Women – Strategies for Female Founders to Thrive

Pitch Please

Empowering Female Founders: Closing the Funding Gap and Leveraging Resources – In this episode of Rocket Fuel, we five deep into the funding challenges faced by female founders with Landon Steele, founder of Steele Consulting Group. Landon shares her insights on the barriers to securing venture capital for women-led startups and practical ways to overcome them. Despite data showing that female-led companies are more profitable, only 2% of VC funding goes to all-female founding teams. Landon discusses how women can access non-dilutive funding, find supportive networks, and position themselves for growth. She highlights the role of peer support, incubators, and diverse investor pools in changing this narrative.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• The Gender Funding Gap: The challenges female founders face in securing VC funding, and how to break down the barriers.

• Strategies for Success: From joining incubators to accessing non-dilutive funding, Landon outlines actionable steps for women founders.

• Empowering Female Investors: Discover how programs like Women's Equity Lab and Startup Investors Lab are empowering women to become angel investors.

• Key Resources for Female Founders: Landon lists several more resources and links to the sources for all the statistics she mentions in this podcast episode in her recent blog post here.

Key Takeaways:

• Women-Led Companies Perform: Female-led startups are more profitable and socially responsible, yet they receive only 2% of VC funding. Learn why female founders are a strong investment opportunity.

• Bridging the Gender Funding Gap: Increasing diversity among investors can lead to more equitable funding for women entrepreneurs.

• Actionable Resources

Chapters:

00:00 – Introduction and Welcome

01:30 – Landon’s Journey: From Biotech to Consulting for Female Founders

04:47 – The Gender Funding Gap: Why Only 2% of VC Funding Goes to Female Founders

08:30 – Why Women-Led Startups Outperform: Data Behind the Profitability

12:50 – Bridging the Gap: The Importance of Diverse Investors in VC

18:13 – Key Resources for Female Founders: Incubators, Mentorship, and Funding

25:30 – Pathway to Silicon Valley: How to Get Silicon Valley Ready

27:58 – Show Her the Money Watch Parties: Supporting Female Founders

36:25 – Final Thoughts and Advice

More About Landon

Landon Steele, founder of Steele Consulting Group, is an innovative senior executive with over 30 years of experience in healthcare and biotech. She helps startups become "Silicon Valley Ready" by offering fractional COO services, advisory expertise, and business development consulting. Landon is an experienced angel investor and co-founder of the Startup Investors Lab, with a diverse portfolio of early-stage investments. She also serves on the board of the Canadian Women’s Network, helping Canadian female founders access Bay Area resources.

Resources Overview for Female Founders

• ⁠Pathway to Silicon Valley⁠: Helping Canadian women founders scale internationally. Event in Palo Alto, Nov. 18-20.

• ⁠Show Her the Money⁠: Watch parties for this documentary on women entrepreneurs are happening in Vancouver and San Francisco.

• ⁠Women's Equity Lab⁠: A growing network of women investors managing a growing portfolio of companies, with 76% led by women.

• ⁠Spring Impact Capital⁠: Supporting underestimated founders through programs like⁠ Right Fit Capital⁠ and the⁠ 2025 Women-Led Impact Investor Challenge⁠.

The Call to Action

Follow Landon on LinkedIn for announcements about the Show Her the Money watch parties. Sign up for her mailing list at www.steeleconsultinggroup.com for more resources. Interested in angel investing? Check out Startup Investors Lab or Women's Equity Lab. Landon is available for panels, speaking, or as an advisor—reach out for a free consultation and a 20% discount by mentioning Pitch Please!

Want to Connect?

Email: [e-mail]

Website: steeleconsultinggroup.com

LinkedIn: Landon Steele

Twitter: Landon Steele - Twitter