Women, Wealth, & Innovation: Female Founders and Funders Driving the Future

In today’s world, the conversation around meritocracy and diversity remains more critical than ever. Last November at The Billion Dollar Brew (London Edition), hosted at RUSI, we tackled these pressing issues head-on with female founders and funders who are driving the future of innovation.

Brought to you by Beyond The Billion, Dell Technologies and Dell Women's Entrepreneur Network (DWEN), our panel explored the financial pathways fueling women-led innovation—from venture capital and debt to non-dilutive funding and the evolving LP landscape.

We dove into how emerging fund managers can navigate today’s capital environment, the rising influence of family offices, and why investing in female founders in AI, FinTech, and deep tech isn’t just about equity—it’s about smart business.

Timestamps/Key Takeaways

0:00 - Intro

02:32 - Ella Jade (ROOBBA): AI-driven furniture business & disruptive marketing

06:15 - Fatou Diagne (Bootstrap Europe): Venture debt as an alternative to equity financing

08:27 - Mohadeseh Abdullahi (Molten Ventures): Investing in 81 funds to support early-stage startups & the rise of women-led funds

12:33 - Wiem Gharbi (Ankar AI): Inefficiencies in AI and intellectual property & the solutions ahead

15:47 - Venture debt; “Women are more risk-averse”

20:44 - Ella Jade’s fundraising strategy

25:03 - LP’s view: Specialised funds, rise of female GPs, & 2025 outlook

28:16 - AI investment strategy; the pressure to transform into AI-driven startups

32:08 - Q&A: Academia and entrepreneurship

35:37 - Q&A: The Billion Dollar opportunity for female founders

39:08 - Q&A: Blockchain and funding

40:46 - Final takeaways

Panelists

Ella Jade

CEO & Co-Founder, ROOBBA

Mohadeseh Abdullahi

Investor, Molten Ventures

Fatou Diagne

Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Bootstrap Europe

Wiem Gharbi

Co-Founder, Ankar AI

Moderated by:

Sarah Chen-Spellings

Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Beyond The Billion

Read full recap here:

https://beyondthebillion.com/the-billion-dollar-brew-london-edition/

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