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:

The Billion Dollar Brew™ (London Edition)

  PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://billiondollarmoves.com Watch on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/sarahchenglobal Join the community: https://sarah-chen.ck.page/billiondollarmoves   FOLLOW SARAH: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sarahchenglobal Instagram: https://instagram.com/sarahchenglobal X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahchenglobal