If you want something said ask a man, but if you want something done, ask a woman - Margaret Thatcher

When it comes to the age-old question of "who does it better," studies have proven that women are the clear winners in leading companies. Whether it’s achieving business goals, delivering financial returns, or keeping employees engaged and inspired, companies with women leading the charge are a better bet. Yet, while women-led Fortune 5000 companies realized equity returns 226% higher than the S&P 500, less than 3% of venture capital funding goes to startups led by women.

The data has spoken: women have the winning hand. But what is the secret sauce, and how do we overcome a history of implicit funding bias of the investor community to support these oft-overlooked yet deserving founders?

In this panel discussion featuring an all-star crew of experienced, dynamic women investors and founders, we’ll get a peek at their cards to see how they are staying ahead of the game and what the investing community can do to put more bids behind proven winners.

The Panel

Moderator

Maria Thompson - Venture Partner, Arsenal Ventures. Co-Founder and CEO, T/J Technologies (exited)

Maria Thompson currently invests as a Venture Partner with Arsenal Venture Partners. Ms. Thompson was President and CEO of T/J Technologies, Inc., a nationally recognized Michigan company for proprietary alternative energy technologies that she and her husband, Dr. Levi Thompson, co-founded in 1991. T/J Technologies was acquired by A123Systems Inc. in 2006, resulting in an organization representing the largest lithium-ion R&D team in North America. After a successful IPO in 2009, Ms. Thompson ran the Government Solutions Group of A123Systems, Inc until she retired from A123 in 2010

Ms. Thompson’s leadership has been heavily celebrated, including recognition from NASA, Washington DC-based Minority Enterprise Executive Council, and numerous awards from Crain’s Detroit Business. She is a dedicated supporter of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Ms. Thompson serves in many capacities, including Vice- Chair of NextEnergy’s Board of Directors, a member of Ann Arbor SPARK’s Board of Directors, and the University of Michigan Ross School of Business Zell Lurie Institute Advisory Board. She served for 6 years on the Advanced Technology Advisory Board for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and is a former member of several non-profit organization boards. Ms. Thompson earned a Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Michigan Business School. Prior to starting T/J Technologies, Ms. Thompson worked at Steelcase and IBM, where she earned numerous company awards.

Panelists

Patti Glaza - Managing Director, Invest Detroit Ventures

Patti Glaza joined Invest Detroit in 2014 with more than 20 years of experience in the development, implementation and commercialization of advanced technologies. She manages Invest Detroit’s venture funds and portfolio of investments. She leverages her broad industry relationships and operational experience to serve as a resource to nurture and promote technology startup companies.

Prior to joining Invest Detroit, Ms. Glaza was with Arsenal Venture Partners, a multi-stage national venture capital firm focused on IT, energy and industrial technologies.

Khadijah Robinson - Founder, Nile

A Southern girl through and through, Khadijah was raised in Savannah, GA and Montgomery, AL. Her life is a manifestation of the Issa Rae phrase, “I’m rooting for Everybody Black.” In fact, one of her favorite facts to share about herself is that when she started elementary school, she had never heard “The Star Spangled Banner,” and thought that “Lift Every Voice and Sing” was the national anthem! She never lost that love of community. After graduating from Spelman College, Khadijah received a MSc from the University College London and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. She has practiced law in Washington, D.C. for the last four years, but she has supported the business endeavors of the Black community for her entire life. Her company, Nile, is an extension of that passion. Nile is a digital platform connecting consumers with Black-owned brands online. The brand focuses on modernity, accessibility, and informative context to make it easy and convenient to buy Black online. When not working on Nile, Khadijah still practices law, reads great fiction, and studies the art of brunch.

Gale Wilkinson - Managing Partner, Vitalize Venture Group

Gale Wilkinson founded IrishAngels in 2012 and VitalizeVC in 2017. Gale loves helping entrepreneurs take their startups to the next level. She believes in backing founders who have a big vision and a clear plan on how to execute that vision. Gale developed an early stage financing course that she taught for five years at Notre Dame, and she shares a lot of these insights in our VIA for Founders series. Her previous work experience includes forecasting and consulting for new product launches with Nielsen and corporate strategy with Orbitz. She received a BBA with honors from Notre Dame and an MBA with honors from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She was a founding Board member of the C200 Scholars Network, and she is currently a founding Board member of Chicago Blend, an organization focused on increasing diversity in Chicago VC and startups. Gale is a Kauffman Fellow in Class 23 and lives in Chicago with her husband Matt and very lovable yellow lab Samson.

Investing in tomorrow, together.

Commune Angels is a community of investors united by our common interest in high-growth ventures and strengthened by our diverse experiences. We are entrepreneurs, business leaders, experienced angels and new investors who invest in promising companies across the U.S.

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References:

Women-led companies perform three times better than the S&P 500 | Fortune

Startup fundraising is the most tangible gender gap. How can we overcome it? | TechCrunch