

Female co-founder (not CEO): can this be an obstacle for investors' decision? - itsybaev

We're a team of three founders (plus one non-founder) recently applied to YCombinator. One of us is a young woman (web designer) and she thinks we're better off not listing her as a co-founder.<p>There are many articles and interviews saying that VCs welcome female startup CEOs, but it's unclear about female co-founders (not CEO). It's perceived that in general women are more emotional, so does that throw up red flags to some  investors, since they may consider it a higher risk that the team could split up?
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YuriNiyazov
This is insane.

First of all, no one's going to bat an eyelash that you have a female
cofounder, and if an investor decides not to fund you because you have a
female cofounder, then it is not an investor worth taking money from.

Second of all, if you don't list her as a co-founder now and you have interest
from investors, what are you going to do, lie about it, or say "oh, shit, I am
sorry, we forgot to list one of our cofounders earlier?" Regardless of how you
think having a female cofounder makes you look, forgetting to list someone as
a cofounder or lying is an immediate disqualifier.

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itsybaev
Why lie? You can be part of the team, but at the same time, not a co-owner.

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YuriNiyazov
I am sorry, I am thoroughly confused.

"In reality", is she a full-on cofounder or just an employee with some stock?
Whatever that reality is, you must communicate that reality to your investors.

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itsybaev
A valuable employee, who's brought some fresh ideas as well.

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leepowers
A VC who will marginalize an intelligent and productive co-founder just
because that person has the wrong set of chromosomes - such a VC, I'm sorry,
there's no polite way to say this - is a fucking moron. (I may be naive, but I
find it hard to believe that such a VC exists). You do not want to do business
with this kind of investor. You're creating a new, cutting-edge technology. A
sexist, luddite dinosaur is not the type of person you want funding and
influencing business decisions.

Don't hide the fact that you have a female founder. Her presence will filter
out any sexist assholes and will ensure you find a true financial partner,
whose interests align with your own.

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itsybaev
True. But not everyone has progressive view of life, especially some "old
school (in a bad way) people" .

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leepowers
Absolutely, people like this may exist. And you don't want to jump into
business with this type of person, no matter how much money they may offer.

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jorgenev
No, do not misrepresent yourself or your team.

However, if I were you I would reconsider your plan. I think you may need a
clinic specializing in paranoia more than you need a start up accelerator.

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onlyup
It seems that if anything having a woman as a cofounder would be a positive
thing. I am basing this off all the "women in tech" initiatives from big
players in the industry.

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itsybaev
Big players and startups are quite different cases..

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onlyup
> she thinks we're better off not listing her as a co-founder.

Why does she think this?

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itsybaev
That's her opinion: "It's perceived that in general women are more emotional,
so that may throw up red flags to some investors, since they may consider it a
higher risk that the team could split up"

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YuriNiyazov
So what? It's also "perceived" that women are more scheming, which could be a
thorough advantage in business.

~~~
itsybaev
Probably that's the main reason for some VCs to especially welcome female
startup CEOs, lol. But we're talking not about CEO.

