ABOUT US
We believe that great companies are built on creativity, ingenuity and diversified talents
As the start-up industry emerged in the 90’s, its organizational structure was determined mainly by its entrepreneurs at the time – young developers, mostly men, who sat together in a garage working day and night to fulfill a dream of breaking through with a technological product.
Since those days, the start-up industry has grown and become a leading engine of economics in many countries, and from tiny companies with several developers sharing a dream, start-up companies became employers for hundreds and sometimes thousands of employees.
However, the meteoric growth of the industry has not led to growth for all sections of society. Farther more, as many startups kept hiring people that are similar in many aspects to those already employed by the company (a phenomenon called similarity bias), startups are relatively homogeneous.
The startup ecosystem stands for openness and diversity. Our aim is that these principles are increasingly reflected in the startup eco-system.
Diversity in the Startup Ecosystem: Why it matters
The focus on female founders is an important first step in promoting the topic of diversity in startups and the startup eco-system as a whole but we should not stop there.
Making Startups stronger
Combining different cultures, genders, ages, worldviews etc. in a thoughtful manner in a startup encourages creative thinking. We know that diversity can foster creativity, innovation and better development. An organization that is better able to adapt and provide solutions in a rapidly changing world – all lead to improving a company’s chance for success.
Making Switzerland stronger
Providing opportunities for diverse populations to integrate into startup companies is key to social mobility. As the startup sector is a leader in innovation in the Swiss economy, we believe that increasing diversity in the startup landscape will bring new employment opportunities, that may lead to socio-economic growth in many sectors.
At a time when conflict and distrust are increasing, it is even more important to create an arena for tolerance, equality and hope. The Biased180 Initiative is intended to enable the startup eco-system to be that place of positive interaction – where we all can work and build great companies and a positive future together.
Who is behind the Gender Bias Measurement Test
The Gender Bias Measurement Test has been developed by the Female Founders Initiative Switzerland together with Diversify and is funded by the Arcas Foundation.
The Female Founders Initiative aims at making a real impact in the Swiss society by empowering female founders and creating a more inclusive startup environment. We believe that in order to create a more diverse startup eco-system it is important to investigate and understand the reasons behind the underrepresentation of female founders in the Swiss startup scene.
To get more information about the study, or obtain a customized IAT test for your organization, please contact us.