Over the course of three cohorts, EstBAN, together with Hedman Law Firm and Swedbank Estonia & SEB Eesti has trained nearly 70 women who already had prior investing experience, but wanted a better understanding of startup investing and what it means to become an angel investor.
Why does this matter? – Because today, women make up less than 15% of EstBAN members, and startup investing remains a space where female role models, knowledge-sharing, and trusted communities are limited. Some say it’s because there’s also only around 11-12% of female founders and too few female-led company exits. Meaning – there are not enough role models that other women can relate to. The attitude of “if she can do it, I can do it too!”.
Women can and want to build world changing companies, but the stakes seem too high. The self-doubt keeps them away.
Over the past 1.5 years, our Female Angel Investor Training Programme has brought together angel investors, VCs, lead investors, legal professionals, startup mentors, and founders to openly share what they know about supporting startups, raising millions in investor capital, navigating high-risk investments, conducting due diligence, building a portfolio, and developing an investment strategy.
Startup investing is not for everyone regardless of gender. However – greater diversity in angel investing strengthens the ecosystem. Yes, everyone bold enough can step into the unknown and sure, it takes conviction, emotional resilience, a portfolio approach, a strategy, and genuine curiosity about what and why you invest in. High-risk investing should be approached thoughtfully and intentionally, and it is something that everyone can learn. And that’s why programmes like this matter. We believe that EstBAN and partners’ systematic, hands-on angel investing programme specifically designed for women is a step towards more open and supportive startup ecosystem. We have always had our events for everyone, and then somehow, mostly men show up.
To end in a positive note, 7 out of the training programme participants became members of EstBAN and 20 of them made at least one angel investment within past 1,5 years. Altogether 26 investments into EstBAN syndicates were made by women from these three cohorts.
Huge thank you to all our speakers, partners, and participants who are helping to grow the next generation of informed and confident angel investors.
Thank you Hedman Law Firm, SEB Eesti and Meelis Nurk, Swedbank Estonia and Astrid Maldre, Karin Künnapas, Merlin Seeman and your team, Jana Saastamoinen, Allan Gaidunko, Triin Hertmann, Kaari Kink, Heidi Kakko, Kati Pino, Kadi-Ingrid Lilles, Kart Siilats, Jana Budkovskaja and all the participants who came to learn.
Photos: Jaana Süld
