'So much talking, so little doing': Startmate boss calls out inaction on backing women in tech

Talk is cheap when it comes to backing women in tech. But the surprising thing is that investing in them isn’t that expensive.

Accelerator and investor Startmate, winner of Startup Daily’s Best in Tech Investor of the Year, has supported more than 800 women through its Women Fellowship programs over the last four years and more than 500 (66%) are now working in startups.

And that’s cost just $3000 per woman.

But the frustration Batko feels is palpable in a post on LinkedIn today.

“It is wild to me that we all complain about a lack of support for women. But there are only four orgs that have supported [Startmate’s] Women Initiatives consistently over the years: LaunchVic, Tattarang, NZ Growth Capital Partners and Blackbird,” he wrote.

“Everyone acknowledges the problem and nods. Yet, nobody puts their money where their mouth is. So much talking, so little doing.”

He’s hoping to drum up additional support for Startmate’s programs, pointing out that they have “three incredible and proven initiatives”.

The are: Women Fellowship , which brings more women into startups: the Ladymates Collective, which develops peer groups for women in startups; and Ladymates Leadership, which offers executive coaching in peer group for women leaders.

Batko says sponsoring a scholarship for a woman who can’t otherwise afford it can change their entire world.

But that requires companies to put money where their mission statements are.

“I’ve pitched to dozens if not hundreds of companies to support for as little as $3k over the years,” Batko said.

“It is always so ‘well received’, commended, praised for the impact and yet the decision-makers don’t do anything. Every year the organisations we look up to just sit there and find yet another reason not to lift a finger.”

It’s been a tough time for women of late, especially when it comes to government support. While Victoria’s $10 million Alice Anderson fund, run by LaunchVic, has backed more than 36 startups run by female founders, plans for a similarly $10 million fund in NSW named in honour of businesswoman Carla Zampatti were scrapped by Labor government, and federally, Labor also killed off the Boosting Female Founders grants program with only two-thirds of the $52 million allocated spent.

The Startmate CEO said his post as much about gratitude for those who have stood up and acted as a call to action for others to do more to back women in tech.

“Even though this reads as outrage, what sparked the thought was a deep sense of gratitude for the organisations that do show up consistently over the years with unwavering support,” Batko said.

“A massive shoutout to the supporters we’ve had over the years – LaunchVic who are making the Victorian ecosystem the greatest, NZGCP growing NZ startups with diversity, Tattarang who loves to support women from low socio-economic environments and Blackbird who despite all the press keeps persisting through transparency and their (wild)heart and efforts in the right place.”

Find out more about Startmate’s Ladymates programs here.