Despite the recession, female entrepreneuers are becoming more prevalent in the United States, according to a study conducted by the University of New Hampshire’s Center for Venture Research and reported in a recent Wall Street Journal article and video post by Emily Glazer. Glazer calls attention to a number of female-centric mentoring and investing organizations that have grown significantly over the past few years.
The percentage of women grew to 20 percent last year among those seeking start-up capital, a significant rise from 12.6 percent just 10 years ago. The number of women who actually received funding grew from 9.5 percent in 2008 to 13 percent in 2010. The two top fields where female entrepreneurs are thriving are, unsurprisingly, fashion and e-commerce.
While great strides are being made to level the playing field, there is still a long way to go. Women currently represent just over 15 percent of angel investors and only 5-7 percent of partners at high-tech venture capital firms.