EMPOWERING WOMEN IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND ADVANCING GENDER LENS INVESTING

Accion Venture Lab (AVL) is a global early-stage investor in inclusive fintech startups. Over the last two years, AVL has held venture capital fundraising workshops and investor networking sessions with over 80 women fintech founders in 15 countries. The organization engaged a Capstone team to identify the needs of women founders in emerging markets, outline existing resources, and provide recommendations for future steps. Building on its desktop research and interviews with AVL’s regional directors, the team conducted comparative analyses to identify strengths and weaknesses within each regional market. The team’s final report provides recommendations to AVL concerning the pipeline development process, the accessibility of funding, and expanding gender lens investing through partnership development. Specifically, the team recommended that AVL structure programs to: (1) promote mentorship, (2) build collaborative networks, (3) conduct workshops and training, (4) strengthen pipeline development, and (5) advocate for policy change.