Why Supporting Women Founders Isn’t About Excluding Men
Published: 19/09/2025
Conversations about women in entrepreneurship can sometimes be misunderstood. When we talk about closing funding gaps, creating mentorship programs, or building communities designed for women, some people wonder: “Does this mean men are being pushed aside?”
The answer is simple: no. Supporting women founders is not about bashing men or excluding them – it’s about building an ecosystem where everyone benefits.
The Reality: Unequal Starting Points
Men and women do not currently begin their entrepreneurial journeys from the same starting line. Women receive less than 2% of global venture capital funding, are underrepresented in senior leadership networks, and often juggle disproportionate caregiving responsibilities alongside running a business.
Addressing these gaps isn’t about taking something away from men, it’s about ensuring women have the same opportunities to contribute fully.
Why This Matters for Everyone
Innovation thrives on diversity. Women bring fresh perspectives and untapped solutions. Diverse teams consistently outperform less diverse ones.
Economies grow stronger. Closing gender gaps in entrepreneurship could add trillions to global GDP.
Leadership gets better. Companies with diverse leadership make more balanced decisions, manage risk better, and foster healthier cultures.
Why Soreya Is Women-Only
At Soreya, we chose to focus exclusively on women founders, not because we believe men aren’t part of the solution, but because women deserve a space where their voices, ambitions, and challenges are placed at the centre.
Here’s why:
- Psychological safety matters. Many women feel more open and honest when they’re in environments shaped by others that have faced the same hurdles.
- The barriers are gendered. From access to capital to balancing caregiving, many challenges women face are specific.
- Representation builds confidence. Seeing and learning from other women who have “walked the path” creates powerful role models and normalises ambition at every stage of entrepreneurship.
It’s about focus, not exclusion. By narrowing our scope, we can deliver deeper impact. Supporting women founders in tailored ways doesn’t mean men are unwelcome, it means we are meeting a very real need with precision.
The Role of Men as Partners
Even though Soreya is a women-only platform, men are essential in this mission. As mentors, investors, leaders, and peers, men play a critical role in dismantling systemic bias. Their partnership strengthens the ecosystem, whether by funding women-led businesses, amplifying their voices, or advocating for equity inside their own organisations.
Moving Forward
Supporting women founders is not about excluding men. It is about creating spaces where women can flourish and then leveraging those outcomes to build a stronger ecosystem for everyone.
At Soreya, our focus on women is intentional, because we know that when women rise, industries evolve and communities thrive. And we believe men are part of that story too as allies, advocates, and partners in building the future of entrepreneurship.
If you want to join our movement and be part of creating meaningful change for women founders, join our waitlist here to be the first to know when we launch and gain early access to support and opportunities.