Why You Should Invest in Older Startup Founders

Tech.co | Camila Souza | April 3

“It can seem like youth is a prerequisite for a successful entrepreneur. We’re more likely to think of a startup founder with “disruptive ideas” as a college dropout, rather than someone who graduated twenty years ago and is now starting a new venture. But research proves that youth is not the key to entrepreneurial success. And by investing resources only in the young, business culture is missing a huge opportunity.” Read more.

Seattle Investor On His First Year Of Only Backing Startups With Female Founders [Audio]

KPLU | Gabriel Spitzer & Allie Ferguson | May 7

“It’s no secret that gender equality is an issue for the tech and startup world. According to the tech data firm, CrunchBase , only about 15 percent of U.S. startups that received investor funding from 2009 to 2015 had at least one female founder.” Read more.

BY THE NUMBERS: Getting 100 women in Fortune 500 C-suites by 2025

Puget Sound Business Journal | Betsey Guzior | May 13

“The Rockefeller Foundation this week announced a new initiative to place more women in the executive ranks at Fortune 500 companies. The 100X25 program aims for 100 women at the companies by 2025.

“The foundation will encourage businesses to amp their mentoring toward women, giving them a fair shot at leadership roles and pay equity — not new concepts, but necessary ones, a foundation report states.” Read more.

Microsoft HR chief Kathleen Hogan wants to bring diversity to the tech world

Puget Sound Business Journal | Ashley Stewart | May 13

“Atop one of the technology’s largest, oldest and most influential companies, Hogan is in a unique position to boost diversity in the workforce and change the way the industry recruits and retains talent – one of the biggest challenges in the pipeline.” Read more.

Event planning software maker Hubb wins $155K investment in Seattle Angel Conference competition

GeekWire | James Risley | May 13

“This is the second year in a row that a women-led team has won. Last year’s Seattle Angel Conference winner, Glamhive, went on to raise another round of nearly $1 million less than half a year later.” Read more.

You cannot be what you cannot see

Recode | Jonathan Spalter & Cornell Belcher | May 18

“In a new nationwide survey of African-Americans, a full half of respondents said they don’t know a single person in their community who works in the technology industry.

“In a new nationwide survey of African-Americans, a full half of respondents said they don’t know a single person in their community who works in the technology industry. As children, when we think about what we want to be when we grow up, the sky is often the limit: Musician, astronaut, professional athlete, president. Some attain these heights. Most, as we mature, begin to look around for role models and examples in our community to emulate. One need only lift the door on roughly every third.” Read more.