Beyond the Funding Gap: What Would It Take to Change the Investment Pipeline for Women?

The gender investment gap is not simply a question of how much capital reaches women-led businesses. It is also a question of how opportunities enter the investment pipeline, how they are assessed, and what determines which businesses receive capital and continue to access it as they grow.

This panel will examine the structures, behaviours, and decision-making processes shaping the investment pipeline for women. Bringing together perspectives from across Africa and the wider investment ecosystem, the conversation will explore where change is needed, from investment criteria and capital allocation to investor networks, ecosystem design, and pathways to follow-on funding.

The discussion will move beyond diagnosing the gap to consider what investors, institutions, and ecosystem leaders can actually change to create a stronger, more inclusive pipeline of investable opportunities.