I was interviewed by De Tijd about female entrepreneurship and access to capital in Belgium. The data it highlights is striking:
According to figures cited in the article, of the €1.25 billion in funding raised,
- 84% went to all-male teams
- 12% to mixed-gender teams
- and only 4% to all-female teams
These numbers underline a persistent and systemic imbalance in how capital is distributed.
But unfortunately, this trend can also be seen on the investor side. From both a professional and personal perspective, women remain significantly underrepresented in cap tables and shareholder structures. And this pattern leads to a vicious cycle: limited access to capital and networks leads to fewer opportunities to build long-term personal capital, which in turn results in fewer women reinvesting into the ecosystem.
It’s a self-perpetuating loop, one that continues to shape who gets funded, who builds wealth, and who holds decision-making power in the long run.
Breaking this cycle requires more than awareness. It calls for structural change in how capital is allocated, who is invited into investment networks, and how success is measured in entrepreneurship.
Read the full interview on De Tijd (paywalled)
