The Increasingly Inclusive World of Tech Startups
We talk a lot about the gender imbalance in both the technology industry and the world of venture capital investment. Women and NB (non-binary) or GNC (gender non-conforming) founders receive a disproportionately low slice of the pie when it comes to tech startups getting funded. Forbes and other large publications periodically take a look at how women are faring in the market, but rarely, if ever, mention NB and GNC folx. Is the VC landscape treating non-binary founders just as poorly, or is tech funding solely about the right brand message and product?
Where the Money Goes
While a standout product and incredible brand are always vital, it’s sad to say it’s not always the primary concern for every venture capitalist. Despite reports that suggest non-male-led companies fare better in terms of success and growth, they only get 25% of available funding at startup level, and only 1.9% of the funding available to business software startups. It’s worth noting that these reports generally refer to women only, making hard-working NB folks practically invisible.
Visibility is so important, because the more we talk about NB people in tech, the more it becomes part of the norm. This empowers other non-binary founders to go for it with their own ventures; when you see your peers gaining success, you know there’s a real opportunity for you out there, too. Inclusivity in tech is about making it accessible to everyone, which means those outside the LGBTQ+ communities often need to educate themselves on what’s genuinely helpful and inclusive. This avoids “diversity checkbox” exercises and helps foster genuinely inclusive spaces where everyone can get excited about technological developments, regardless of gender.
Growing Numbers of LGBTQ+ Founders
The LGBTQ+ community includes all who are not straight or cis – a word that simply means “on this side of” i.e., a cis person has stayed on the “same side” as the same gender they were assigned at birth. Trans, conversely, comes from the Latin to cross to the other side, hence terms like Transatlantic. In gender terms, trans simply means someone who doesn’t identify with the gender they were assigned at birth, and this may include NB, GNC, and genderfluid people. Why is this important to know? Because there’s so much misinformation out there about non-cis people, and when you know better, you can do better – including being respectful to some absolutely trailblazing non-binary tech startup founders doing amazing things right now.
Jade Baranski is the CEO of Mobilize, a software development outfit building “powerful technology for forward thinking enterprises”. Jade uses they/them pronouns and is also the founder of the Queer Business Alliance, an organization dedicated to making sure LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs have access to the right education, resources, and opportunities for visibility.
Mckensie Mack is a black, non-binary CEO and founder of MMG, a data-driven change management company focused on getting workplaces to put people’s humanity ahead of their productivity. They provide advanced solutions to help create systemic solutions to inequity and inequality. The company’s success with high-profile tech giants Adobe and Meta means they can budget for a 30-day wellness sabbatical for their entire staff, carefully organized and managed to ensure contracts are still taken care of.
These are just two of a growing community of non-binary tech and tech enterprise support founders who are making waves in the best ways. Hopefully, as the tech industry gradually becomes more inclusive, we can see many more joining them.
Ways to Be More Inclusive
Investors can improve the gender diversity of the tech industry by researching and talking to a range of founders of all genders. Look for the wildly innovative and creative, and tech ventures with gripping brand messages sure to grow exponentially.
Tech companies: check your hiring policies. The more NB people who get jobs in tech, the more likely we are to see exciting and confident entrepreneurs branching out with their own ideas.
Something everyone can do: add your pronouns on LinkedIn and other social media accounts, or internal business platforms. It’s such a small change, but it creates a safe space for others to share their pronouns, and may even show individuals they are not the only one within this space that identifies the way they do. Plus, it highlights your startup as an inclusive organization to work for and partner with. Jade Baranski speaks eloquently about the importance of sharing pronouns in this article.
Final Word
Actively redistributing the wealth of VC tech funding is no small task, which is why we’re proud to highlight just a couple of the many NB founders increasing the gender diversity in tech and software startups. Getting your product in front of the right people always carries its challenges, and we believe gender should not be a factor in that. Book your 15-minute introductory call with our team who can talk to you about all aspects of marketing and brand messaging.
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