They Saw Women Shut Out Of VC, So A PayPal Veteran And Former Navy Officer Built An Alternative
View original at news.crunchbase.comCrunchbase News - Funding Ma Title: They Saw Women Shut Out Of VC, So A PayPal Veteran And Former Navy Officer Built An Alternative Date: 2026-05-29 11:00 Source: https://news.crunchbase.com/diversity/venture-women-owned-startup-funding-aequitas-invest/ <p>Women-led startups consistently receive less than 2% of U.S…
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There are approximately 50 active Reg CF platforms in the U.S., and AQi is the only one founded by women, owned by women, and exclusively serving women-owned businesses
60% confidenceWomen-led startups deliver 2.5x better returns than male-founded startups
60% confidenceThere is a $5 trillion gap in global GDP resulting from women entrepreneurs lacking access to capital
60% confidenceWomen entrepreneurs earn 78 cents for every dollar invested, compared to 31 cents for men
60% confidenceTraditional VCs often demand board seats, veto rights, and up to 20% equity; AQi founders typically give up only 5-10% equity
60% confidenceOn platforms like Kickstarter, founders might only keep about 60% of the funds raised; AQi's success fee is only 6.5%
60% confidenceFor many companies, $5 million is a strong runway for 18 to 24 months; Reg CF rolling raises allow up to $5 million every 12 months
60% confidenceWomen start nearly half of all U.S. businesses but receive only 2% of venture capital and less than 20% of small business loans
60% confidenceAQi acts as a 'concierge' service with personal relationships vs. larger platforms that use AI-driven automated checklists
60% confidenceWomen-led startups consistently receive less than 2% of U.S. venture capital
60% confidenceThe VC space is unlikely to change soon because it is heavily reliant on 'pattern matching,' creating significant barriers for women founders
60% confidenceAQi uses special-purpose vehicles to consolidate all Reg CF investors into a single cap table line item, keeping the cap table clean for future investors
60% confidenceFor every dollar a woman earns in her business, she creates significant economic benefit for her community and family
60% confidenceAQi currently has a pipeline of 20 businesses; first campaign closed in May 2026 with two more launching in coming weeks
60% confidence