Scout Investing Program for Women

To accelerate the creation of more women VCs, work with existing VCs, LPs, and large companies to create a version of Sequoia’s Scout Program for emerging women managers who are successful operators but do not have specific large VC experience.

Please refer to: Women Scout Idea (Medium post).

Summary - It will take decades or longer to change the women investor ratio in venture capital, but we need more now, especially those with their own funds. We can accelerate the process by creating a scout program attached to funds and companies, where we give funding to emerging women operators who want to turn into investors. 

Women VC - 7%. 

Women founders - 11%

Startups with at least one women founder - 63% higher ROI

We need to create more women investors who can back more women, who can in turn hire women in more flexible ways. 

First and foremost, this can be avoided with more women VCs - https://www.nytimes.com/2017/0...

As importantly, women are a good bet. People from a different point of view need to break the pattern. 

Women scouts build their track record as investors and then go onto raise their own funds (to invest in women). Other investors see the success of this investment thesis and also invest in women. Founders, consumers, investors will all benefit. 

Similar to other scout-like programs and depending on the sponsor's goals, the variables for deployment:

1. Separate fund or draw down

2. Investment decision-making

3. Requirement for personal co-investment

# of programs - 50 of funds, LPs, companies that set up scout program for women

# of women VCs from or associated with scout programs - 30%+ of women VCs in industry (created or associated with scout programs)

# of women founders funded (or introduced to VCs) by scouts - 30%+ of women founders funded by women scouts (and VCs)

It's a simple solution that can have tremendous impact. Technology will be used as a community organizing platform, but not dependent for operations. However, this solution will create many innovative technology companies run by women.

This is all about women backing women in a new way. We call it a #newplayingfield.

All founders of all income levels should be able to better access scouts than the current insular nature of VC. 

Off of admin fees on funds and carry on investments.

If funds/companies are willing to take a chance to break the cycle of investment and prove once and for all that investing in women is a great idea.

https://medium.com/@saujin21/to-lps-vcs-how-you-can-help-female-founders-1256b9538d80

We want this solution to be out there, no matter who leads it. Solve it a great place to leverage the community to develop and bring this solution into fruition.