If you want to back women in startups and female founders, then Capital X is the network you need to join

Jessica Baird-Walsh has founded two startups, and is an angel investor and advisor, so she knows the path ahead for women founders all too well.

And that’s why she decided to to something about it, launching Capital X – a free, community-driven network of startup and tech professionals committed to supporting women founders to fund and scale their businesses, and make their stories and success more visible.

The idea began as a shared spreadsheet designed to make it easier to find and connect with women founders and investors. Nearly 500 people signed up, and she decided to take it to the next level.

As Baird-Walsh explained, Capital X is not just for women, because solving problems such as closing the gender funding gap and removing barriers for women in tech and startups ecosystem isn’t just up to them. Men can also add their support here.

“I believe visibility and networks are a significant challenge for many women founders, so that’s where Capital X is starting,”  she said.

“We can’t solve the gender funding gap overnight, but we can start with making it easier to find, and be found. That goes for women founders, women investors, and people of any gender who want to support and champion women, elevate their voices, and contribute to positive change.

“The statistics on funding flowing to women and mixed-gender teams go up and down from quarter-to-quarter and year-to-year, but it is clear that the startup and tech ecosystem needs both systemic change, and immediate practical strategies to accelerate progress. It’s not a simple fix but Capital X is my way of seeking to be a small part of the solution.”

The Capital X founder experienced the challenges for women founders first hand in 2021 when she was raising for her startup.

“At that time it was very difficult to even identify female angels, and I am so grateful for the women who did come on board and joined the round,” Baird-Walsh said.

“Since that time I have not been able to unsee how much change is required, and I want to make a contribution towards changing the status quo.

Connecting on Capital X is free and made via Bridge or LinkedIn to protect privacy. Members can update or change their details anytime, or remove them here.

Baird-Walsh sees Capital X as “just a starting point” and belongs to the ecosystem. It’s about action. rather than petition where people sign up and that’s it.

“Visibility for visibility’s sake doesn’t get us to where we need to be,” she said.

“Meaningful impact will only be achieved through active participation and collaboration across the ecosystem, and I look forward to continuing the conversations I have started about future collaborations and the ways the resource can be used.”

Now she’s keen to hear from anyone interested in collaborating, supporting, or with ideas for building Capital X. You can also join the Slack conversation here.