WIB-Chicago: Show Her the Money Film Screening, May 21, 2024

On May 21, 2024, Women In Bio Chicago hosted a movie screening at Instituto Cervantes, focusing on the critical issue of gender disparity in venture capital. The event featured the thought-provoking documentary Show Her the Money, which highlighted the stark underrepresentation of women as founders and investors in the venture capital industry. The event had over 60 attendees and included a networking portion with a diverse audience of professionals from various sectors. After the networking and refreshments, the documentary presented compelling stories of women founders and investors. One key founder turned investor featured in the documentary was Pocket Sun, who started SoGal Ventures as a solution to bridge the gap in funding for women founders. Central themes of all the stories were the difficulty women have in accessing venture capital funding and leadership opportunities despite having more capital-efficient start-ups. 

Following the screening, attendees engaged in a dynamic fireside chat with La Keisha Landrum Pierre, who was featured in the film and is the co-founder of Emmeline Ventures. The discussion was moderated by WIB-Chicago’s Angela James, PhD. The discussion provided a platform for an in-depth conversation on the documentary's themes, with a particular focus on actionable strategies to support and increase the number of women founders and investors. The conversation also provided practical solutions to investors, offering valuable insights and inspiration. This event not only raised awareness about the gender gap in venture capital but also fostered a sense of community and empowerment among participants.

Submitted by Genesis Chase