According to the Diversity Review recently published by TESI (Finnish Industry Investment), a fifth of the venture capital team in Finland today are women. The trend is much better: the number of women in the sector has doubled in recent years and even the number of young people has grown steadily.
According to the Federation of Finnish Technology Industries, a record 36% of primary applicants in the field of university education were women in 2022.
These figures give confidence. However, there is still work to be done. In a distinguished report, the State of European Tech says that more than 90% of the VC money raised still goes to male teams.
We need academic diversity too
I want to believe that the more we get young women to study advanced mathematics, apply for engineering studies and tech jobs, become entrepreneurs, consultants or venture capitalists, the more we will also train diversity to grow in different teams. In this way, diversity will be visible among technology entrepreneurs as well as among investor teams distributing financing.
It is also important that there are people who do not go into the field of technology. In the future, we will need equally diverse educational backgrounds: at the University of Technology, for example, the focus is not on understanding and developing people's behaviour or culture, managing social situations, or empathy. These things are also important when it comes to building successful investment teams, management teams, boards.
Everyone should be able to focus on what they are attracted to and interested in, and make use of their strengths and sources of inspiration in (working) life. To gain support and opportunities regardless of gender, sexual orientation, age or ethnicity. It is important to encourage people to get to know themselves, so that everyone can recognise their own strengths and interests, and have the opportunity to grasp them boldly.
"If you are very strong you should be very kind as well"
Pippi Longstocking is an excellent role model. There are clearly limitations in her life – her mother passed away, her father is who knows where – but Pippi believes in herself, accepts support from others (Tommy, Annika) and has a loyal core team around her (horse, Mr. Nilsson). In view of this background, Pippi does exactly what she likes, regardless of the restrictions placed on her by others.
I challenge everyone to look for their inner Pippi! When, even at the level of thought, we are able to break away from the norms of the environment and the limitations we place on ourselves, not to mention the doubtful inner speech that easily limits us, we become encouraged to perceive our possibilities more broadly. We may also become more sympathetic to other people's aspirations and ideas. These circumstances not only create happiness and well-being, but also pure value in the name of increased innovation, motivation and productivity, regardless of gender and age.