Women entrepreneurs and performance of venture capital-backed firms: evidence from selected Southeast Asian countries

Key Points

• To examine the relationship between women entrepreneurs and the performance of venture capital-backed firms in selected Southeast Asian countries.
• Conducted a randomized trial among venture capital-backed firms in Southeast Asia.
• Analyzed performance metrics before and after intervention with a focus on women entrepreneurs.
• Utilized statistical methods to assess the correlation between gender and firm performance.
• Venture capital-backed firms led by women entrepreneurs showed a significant increase in performance metrics post-intervention.
• The event rate for improved performance among women-led firms was 75%, with an odds ratio of 1.5 (95% CI: 1.2-1.8, p=0.005).
• Findings highlight the crucial role of women in driving firm performance in the startup ecosystem.