Bridge Funding Global’s Flagship Conference Sets New Industry Standards, Celebrating Success in Gender Equity and Venture Capital

Bridge Funding Global, the leading platform dedicated to promoting gender equity in venture capital, hosted its highly anticipated Flagship Conference at the prestigious Palace Hotel in San Francisco. The conference, attended exclusively by members of Bridge Funding Global, LPs, GPs, and partners, proved to be a resounding success, featuring an impressive lineup of top industry presenters and groundbreaking discussions.

With a total of 62 women-led funds represented by 62 GPs and 64 prominent LPs, including family offices, endowments, institutions, and high-net-worth individuals, the Bridge Funding Global Flagship Conference served as a powerful platform for collaboration, networking, and advancing gender equity in the venture capital landscape.

The conference showcased an extraordinary array of industry leaders and experts, with notable presentations from Assia Grazioli (Muse Capital), Mary Wheeler (Biorock Ventures), Lori Cashman (Visible Ventures), Paige Doherty (Behind Genius Ventures), Masha Bucher (Day One Ventures), Jimena Pardo (AllVP), Sophie Liao (Oyster Ventures), Kimmy Paluch (Beta Boom), Linda Greub (Avestria Ventures), and Michele Colucci (Digital DX). These industry luminaries captivated the audience with their insights, sharing groundbreaking ideas and driving discussions on the future of venture capital.

The highlight of the conference was the captivating video remarks by Melinda French Gates, renowned philanthropist, advocate for gender equity, and founder of Pivotal Ventures. In her remarks, Gates praised the transformative work of Bridge Funding Global, emphasizing the urgent need to address gender inequity in venture capital. She commended Bridge’s commitment to supporting women-led funds and empowering women in decision-making positions. Gates’s powerful words resonated deeply with attendees, further cementing Bridge Funding Global’s vital role in creating a more inclusive and diverse venture capital ecosystem.

The success of the Bridge Funding Global Flagship Conference would not have been possible without the invaluable support of its partners, South State Bank and Frank Rimmerman. Their partnership and commitment to the mission of advancing gender equity in venture capital played a crucial role in bringing together industry leaders and driving meaningful discussions.

Emna Ghariani, co-founder and Head of Product and Operations at Bridge Funding Global, emphasized the company’s mission and vision, stating, “Women are still overeducated and underfunded in this space. The only way to beat gender bias is to change the look of the room. We believe that by putting more money in the hands of women, they will be more likely to invest in women CEOs, and women CEOs will be more likely to hire women in executive positions, hence creating more wealth and closing the loop. Bridge is here to amplify this loop. Despite the market downturn, our LP team has demonstrated exceptional resilience and determination. We are proud to announce that this year we were able to double the number of LPs in attendance compared to the previous year. This achievement highlights our unwavering dedication to amplifying the voices of women in venture capital and our ability to thrive even in challenging times.”

Looking forward, Bridge Funding Global is committed to driving meaningful change in the industry. The company has launched an open application for women emerging managers, which will close on June 23rd, 2023. The Bridge Selection Committee, comprising top institutional and family office investors, will carefully evaluate the applications and select twenty additional women GPs to join the community. These selected GPs will gain access to highly curated programming, meet aligned LPs, and foster valuable relationships within the industry.

The Selection Committee, consisting of Lisa Edgar (Top Tier Capital Partners), Alex Edelson (Slipstream Investors), Amanda Hill (Walton Family Office), Meera Patel (Accolade Partners), Christina Kramlich (Chicory Wealth), and Charlotte Zhang (Inatai Foundation), will evaluate applications based on criteria that include 50% or more women-led funds, priority for US-based funds (while also considering non-US funds aligned with LPs’ thesis), clarity of investment strategy and differentiation, evidence of research and understanding of the market, outstanding materials, and a track record of success within target sectors.

Additionally, Bridge Funding Global is preparing to launch innovative GP/LP relationship building tools and SaaS products, enabling its GP and LP community to foster and cultivate meaningful connections. “These initiatives aim to streamline processes and enhance collaboration, further propelling the industry towards a more equitable and prosperous future,” says Amin Jallouli, Bridge’s Product Operations Manager.