DEMOCRATIZING VENTURE CAPITAL FUNDING
Persistent Investment Opportunity Gap
In 2019, $133B was invested in 10,430 startups based in the US. Startups led by female founders secured only 3% of the investments. Startups led by a mixed (gender diverse) teams secured another 11% of the investments. Startups led by all-male teams continue to dominate with 86% of the $133B. The investment opportunity gap between startups led by all-male founders and other founders has proven to be a stubbornly persistent barrier.
Democratizing venture capital funding requires measuring startups objectively irrespective of the founders' physical attributes or professional and network connections. F4 developed SiMi™ (Startup Investment Model Index) . SiMi objectively measures a startup's maturity, opportunity, and risk while attempting to eliminate bias and prejudice in the VC decision-making process.
SiMi™ (Startup Investment Model Index)
SiMi is like a FICO Score® for Startups. Much like the FICO Score on consumer lending, SiMi assesses, informs, and empowers startup founders on venture investability—outside of gender, race, or other identities. By focusing purely on the state-of-the-startup, SiMi also facilitates smarter investing.
EXCLUSIVE RESEARCH
SOFTBANK VISION FUND
$100B! The world’s largest startup investment fund. The Vision Fund had the potential to change the course of the tech industry. Did they transform the startup ecosystem? Did they help build and grow businesses that had the potential to address the biggest challenges and risks facing humanity today?