In Greece and internationally, only 2% of venture capital funds go to startups founded by women. [SHUTTERSTOCK]
There are untapped investment opportunities in startups founded and managed by women that merit support, according to investors internationally.
One of them is Maria Koletsou, founder and head of Blossom Ventures, the first female Angel Investors club in Greece, which aims to strengthen women’s participation in investments and support female business founders around the world. At first glance, it may sound like a feminist venture, but Koletsou explains to Kathimerini this could not be further from the truth.
The choice of investment field has to do with the fact that startups founded and managed by women usually have much more difficult access to financing, even though many of them have excellent prospects for profitable growth. In Greece and internationally, only 2% of Venture Capital funds are directed to startups founded by women. Therefore, the Blossom Ventures investor network seeks to help bridge this gap by attracting more female investors and supporting female business ventures.
“Our mission is to create a dynamic community of mostly Greek women from all over the world, not excluding men’s participation, perhaps at 20%, promoting female funding and entrepreneurship,” she says.