Tejaswini Kambaiahgari, a second-year graduate student at Northeastern University, has immersed herself in the world of venture capital. Her experiences have revealed the glaring gender inequalities that permeate the industry’s walls.
“Female ventures get grilled on risks, while the male founders get asked about potential,” Kambaiahgari noted, shedding light on the challenges faced by women in the field.
Inspired to drive change, she joined Girls Into VC @ Northeastern, a program dedicated to mentoring young women interested in venture capital. Launched in 2022 at Harvard University and inspired by Girls Who Invest, Girls Into VC is a women-led initiative aiming to empower college students to step into the venture capital arena. With new chapters emerging across the U.S., including one at Northeastern in Fall 2024, the organization has already guided thousands of women toward careers in venture capital.
The transformative nature of the program stood out to Vedanshi Seth, a Spring 2025 fellow and a rising fourth-year combined major in economics and psychology. She shared her initial misconceptions about the industry, stating, “When I just started the cohort, I was obsessed with Shark Tank, and I thought pitches do work, like how you see it in Shark Tank.”
However, after completing the program, Seth feels substantially more confident and knowledgeable about venture capital. The fellowship comprises a 10-week mentored experience during the fall and spring semesters, targeting those with limited or no prior knowledge of the venture capital world. Participants engage in rigorous training involving educational programs and independent projects.
Through classes, assignments, and weekly meetings, fellows learn about essential topics such as venture capital funding stages, pitch deck evaluations, and the qualities firms seek in candidates. Advanced topics, including investment simulations and deal sourcing, are introduced in later stages, equipping participants with the tools necessary to thrive in the competitive landscape.
“I learned a lot about cap tables, Annual Recurring Revenue modeling, how to do deal sourcing and investment simulations,” Kambaiahgari reflected. The program encourages students to analyze various startups through the eyes of venture capitalists, honing their ability to evaluate opportunities critically.
Kambaiahgari has faced her share of challenges when pitching her startup, BaselineTech, which aims to make snowboarding more accessible through simulations. Despite numerous pitching attempts, she often struggles to secure initial meetings, which has delayed her fundraising efforts.
These experiences have provided her with invaluable insights into the obstacles within the industry, leading to her vision for how it can better support female founders.
“I often feel like people don’t take me seriously just because of my gender,” she admitted, emphasizing the need for more female investors and venture capitalists to foster an inclusive environment.
The venture capital sector, funded by capital from wealthy endowments and family offices, plays a crucial role in nurturing innovative startups. It has significantly contributed to the successes of landmark companies like YouTube, Apple, and DoorDash while driving economic growth across the United States and beyond.
Yet, despite these advancements, the venture capital field remains skewed. Statistics highlight a stark gender disparity, with only 11% of venture capital partners being female. Furthermore, a mere 2% of venture capital investments were directed towards all-female founder teams in 2022, according to PitchBook.
A 2013 study from Harvard Business School further underscores this inequality, revealing that when investors were presented with identical pitches voiced by male and female candidates, a staggering 68% chose to fund male entrepreneurs, while only 31% offered support to their female counterparts.
Seth’s desire to join Girls Into VC predated her involvement with the fellowship program, driven by a commitment to amplify women-led innovation and cultivate a fairer funding ecosystem for female entrepreneurs.
The program aims to prepare participants for future opportunities in venture capital through hands-on mentorship and essential training designed to help build confidence and skills.
Following their fellowship experience, members can pursue positions on the club’s executive board, where they take on responsibilities such as teaching educational content, managing applications, organizing guest speakers, and coordinating social media efforts.
This structure helps reinforce the knowledge members acquire while serving the broader community.
Soledad Perez Leon, a rising third-year business administration and economics combined major and incoming president of the Northeastern chapter, emphasized the program’s unique approach by stating, “This is stressed a lot: Do the work without the job. Think like a VC without having the position itself. That’s how you get the role.”
The awareness of gender dynamics among female mentors and fellows ignites discussions about behavioral and systemic challenges within venture capital. Leon pointed out that most VCs tend to invest in startups they understand, often favoring those who resemble themselves.
As Girls Into VC grows, now boasting a community of over 8,000 members globally, Northeastern’s chapter members are eager to pay it forward.
“Once you break in, I think it’s very important to return the favor, and if you, as a woman VC, can then mentor the next generation, that will have a trickle-down effect. I think that’s the best way to get the ball rolling and more women in the industry,” Leon concluded.
image source from：https://huntnewsnu.com/87305/campus/just-11-of-venture-capitalists-are-women-girls-into-vc-is-working-to-address-that/
