Gabay, Perla (2025) Venture Capital and Sustainable Entrepreneurship: A Cross-Sector Analysis of Gender Equality and Capital Attraction amongst women-led companies and women venture capitalists. Master thesis, Sustainable Entrepreneurship (SE).
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Abstract
This study examines how Gender Lens Investing (GLI) is perceived, applied, and integrated into Sweden’s venture capital sector, and its impact on access to capital for women-led enterprises. Drawing on insights from nine purposely selected founders, investors, and advisors, the analysis utilises Acker’s gendered organisations framework (1990), alongside the three GLI lenses. The findings highlight a notable gap between Sweden’s perceived commitment to gender equality and the gendered dynamics that persist within its venture capital ecosystem. Despite emerging awareness of GLI, its principles are scarcely embedded in deal sourcing, valuation, or monitoring. Participants uncovered significant barriers, including male-dominated deal-flow networks, a masculine “ideal-entrepreneur archetype,” and narrow performance metrics. This study also delineates empowerment pathways, such as female ownership, broader valuation metrics, and state-backed GLI incentives. By integrating a critical organisational lens with a practice-based investment framework, this study aims to extend Acker’s (1990) theory to entrepreneurial finance.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master) |
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| Name supervisor: | Unal, A.B. |
| Date Deposited: | 24 Jul 2025 09:56 |
| Last Modified: | 24 Jul 2025 09:56 |
| URI: | https://campus-fryslan.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/724 |
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