Research shows that female investors are more inclined to back women-founded companies, suggesting that increasing female representation in venture capital could help bridge the funding gap.

Women in leadership roles within education often encounter skepticism and patronizing attitudes from investors, as illustrated by Amanda Bickerstaff's experiences seeking investment.

Bickerstaff, an ed-tech CEO, made a strategic move from the Bronx to Melbourne in 2019 to revamp her company's service model and attract funding.

Anne Spear, CEO of Plan Forward, has successfully bootstrapped her startup to find product-market fit while remaining cognizant of the funding challenges that women face.

The ElleCap network, established by women in education investment, seeks to empower female entrepreneurs through collaboration and mutual support.

Emily Foote of Osage Venture Partners has successfully leveraged her teaching background to thrive in the ed-tech startup space, emphasizing the unique insights that women bring to the industry.

The venture capital landscape has shifted post-pandemic, with a notable decrease in generalist investors, making it increasingly challenging for early-stage startups to secure necessary funding.

In 2023, a mere 2% of venture capital funding in the U.S. was allocated to all-female founded teams, highlighting the significant disparities in funding available to women entrepreneurs.

Her latest venture, AI for Education, aims to assist school districts with generative AI and has achieved notable revenue milestones without relying on external investment.

Overall, global venture capital funding in the education sector plummeted to $1.8 billion in 2023, marking the lowest level in a decade.

Deborah Quazzo of GSV Ventures underscores the critical need for mentoring and support for women to navigate the challenges present in the education sector.

Lakshmi Balachandra from Babson College points out that women entrepreneurs face complex biases during fundraising, resulting in a challenging balancing act.