2020 DocSend Startup Index: The Funding Divide
Highlighting how key factors such as gender, diversity or even geography can affect a team's ability to fundraise.The Funding Divide is Real
Our goal through the DocSend Startup Index was to offer founders information and insights into the often opaque world of VC decision-making. While analyzing VC-founder interactions through our platform, it became clear that some of the factors that affect a founders’ ability to fundraise are actually outside of their control. This funding divide can be caused by multiple things including gender or diversity of the founding team, average age of founders, and even where the founding team is based. It’s become clear that a change is needed in how the fundraising marketplace serves minority and underrepresented founders.
Through our research we hope to share critical data on where and how the problem manifests throughout the fundraising process. While we don’t yet know the solution to the clear funding divide, we’re committed to highlighting the data we have available and helping to find a solution.
About the DocSend Startup Index
The DocSend Startup Index is a first of its kind index covering fundraising from Pre-Seed to series B. It offers the first look under the hood at what makes a founder successful, from their age to team size to the order of their pitch deck.
Our first report on the index is The Pre-Seed Round Defined: How to Succeed as an Early-Stage Startup. We took a deep dive into what makes a company successful in the (somewhat) new Pre-Seed round
We’ve also compiled a list of recommended reading to help keep you up-to-date on what’s happening with startup fundraising. Check back regularly for updates. Or if there’s something you would like to see, email us at research(at)docsend(dot)com.