As part of Alhambra Venture, the panel Women in Startups, moderated by Amparo San José (IESE), brought together prominent figures from the sector: Mercè Tell (Nekko), Elena de Benavides (Gala Capital), Carmen Carpintero (Tartessos Ventures), and Rosa Jiménez (Venture City). All of them agreed on one clear statement: “We need more female investors.”
Although female entrepreneurship is on the rise, the presence of women in the investment space remains very limited. Mercè Tell pointed out that “there are still very few of us,” especially in areas like technology, although representation is slightly higher in sectors such as biotechnology. Tell emphasized the importance of supporting women-led projects to strengthen their role as both entrepreneurs and investors.
Elena de Benavides highlighted the strong sense of unity among the women in the sector: “Those of us who are here are very close-knit,” she said. Carmen Carpintero called on Andalusian women to get involved in innovative companies, stressing the need to promote financial, technological, and entrepreneurial education from childhood. “You can invest in startups starting from €500,” she noted.
Rosa Jiménez advocated for equal pay and called for a review of networking event schedules, which often make work-life balance difficult. “It’s an invisible barrier that still limits our participation,” she stated.
While women are slightly more present in startups than in investment funds, all panelists agreed on the need to promote training to democratize entrepreneurship. They also called for greater visibility of women already in the ecosystem, so they can serve as role models and help break down stereotypes.
