The Scientist just released an article that covers issues relating to women investing in life science ventures (www.the-scientist.com/article/home/36467/).  It was fascinating to learn more about women such as Catherine Mott who became an angel in 1999, decided the whole process needed an upgrade, and is now a managing partner of BlueTree Allied Angels in Pittsburgh.  Other organizing various types of investment groups or raising venture funds included Adrienne Choma, of Golden Seeds with venture forums in NY and Connecticut, Laureen Flanagan of Phenomenelle Angels Fund in Wisconsin, Karen Kerr of Agile Equities, Donna Williamson of Ceres Venture Fund in Evanston, Ill., and Sue Preston, founder of the first all-women's angel group.  Sue has been an activist for more involvement of women in this area for quite some time. 

The basis of the article is a study conducted by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and recently published in Science.  The sample for the study included 4,227 scientists in the life science industry and concluded that there is a gender gap in that the male scientists in the study were more likely to secure patents than female scientists.  The explanation given was the very important and now oft-heard one of networks and mentors. 

As mentioned in this article, this new report is very much in synch with the earlier study the Diana Project did on women in equity capital.  This concern with networks and mentoring is a finding that is heard in all types of industries when it comes to the question of women starting and growing businesses - especially relating to securing financing - and especially when it comes to equity funding, be it formal venture or angel.  My concern is now acting on the information from the earlier studies and now from the Kauffman Foundation. 

I had the privilege of being a guest teacher in one of our Babson classes last night and we were doing a case on HP when the professor raised the issue of gender differences in business.  The students in the class room were from many different countries and were terrific about sharing their thoughts and ideas on the subject.  Several of them suggested,  some more strongly than others, that this was no longer a problem.  A few proposed that there might be some challenges now, but in 20 or 50 years it would all be resolved.  We ended the class with a discussion of networks and how they play out in equity investing.  My goal was for them to think about societal implications, but just as much about the business implications of not having full access to talent.  They got that.