Speaking Startup: Addressing the gender funding gap

Male and female startup founders whose companies raise capital are equally likely to lead those companies to sales or initial public offerings, according to a study from researchers at the Columbia Business School and London Business School. The trouble is, female-led ventures are 63% less likely than male-led ventures to obtain such funding. Those funding disparities were one topic addressed at the virtual Startup Missouri Expo, which ran from Tuesday to Thursday and addressed a range of startup subjects. On this week's episode of Speaking Startup, we dig into a discussion from the expo on funding gaps that exist between male- and female-founded companies. Plus, we chat with St. Louis entrepreneur Janna Westbrook, who is trying to build a health care startup in the midst of a pandemic. Westbrook's company, Provider Pool, just completed the Techstars Kansas City accelerator and wants to bring its health care staffing software to the masses.