IWD 2025: Age, Experience, and Resilience: The Secret Edge of Female Founders in Deeptech

The deeptech industry is on the cusp of a revolution. As we navigate a future shaped by AI, advanced materials, precision medicine, and quantum computing, the need for diverse, experienced leadership has never been more pressing. Yet, despite their wealth of expertise, resilience, and problem-solving ability, older female founders remain a rarity in deeptech. This is not just a matter of representation, it's a lost opportunity for innovation and impact.

Experience, Resilience, and the Edge in Deeptech

Deeptech is one of the toughest sectors to break into. It requires deep scientific understanding, regulatory navigation, patient insight, and commercial acumen. Who better to drive these innovations than women who have spent decades in science, health, and technology?

Older female founders bring a rare combination of credibility and lived experience. Many have had careers in academia, research, medicine, or leadership positions in technology companies. They have seen first-hand the gaps in patient care and understand how to translate cutting-edge science into practical solutions. More importantly, they bring resilience, honed through years of navigating male-dominated industries, securing funding in an uphill battle, and balancing professional and personal responsibilities in ways their male counterparts rarely have to.

I know this firsthand. Five years ago, I co-founded a neurotech company at an age when many investors assume women should be stepping back, not scaling up. Along the way, I've encountered the biases, the gatekeeping, and the endless need to prove credibility in ways my male peers rarely have to. And yet, despite the challenges, my company has raised investment, built pioneering technology, and is making a real-world impact. The reality is that experience, especially the kind forged over decades, gives female founders a serious competitive edge. The challenge is getting the industry to recognise it.

Why Aren't There More of Them?

Despite the clear value they bring, older female founders remain significantly underrepresented in deeptech. The reasons for this are systemic and deeply ingrained:

• Bias in Investment – The funding gap for female founders is well-documented, with only around 2% of VC funding going to female-led companies (PitchBook, 2023). Older women face additional barriers, as investors tend to favour young, male founders with a 'Silicon Valley' profile. Age bias and gender bias combine to create an almost impenetrable glass ceiling.
• The Myth of the 'Young Genius' – There's a cultural fixation on young, disruptive entrepreneurs, despite evidence that older founders are more successful. Research from MIT (2018) shows that the most successful startup founders are, on average, 45 years old, yet this reality is often ignored in deeptech, where experience should be a key advantage. 
• Networks and Gatekeeping – The most influential networks in deeptech and venture capital are still overwhelmingly male. A 2022 report by All Raise found that less than 12% of decision-makers in VC are women, making it harder for female founders, especially older ones, to access capital and mentorship. 
• Balancing Responsibilities – Many older women have spent years balancing careers with caregiving, whether for children or aging parents. By the time they have the space to fully dedicate themselves to a startup, the industry's ageist biases are already working against them. 

Why the Future Needs More Older Female Founders in Deeptech

The world is ageing. Chronic conditions such as neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic disorders, and cognitive decline are on the rise. The best innovations will come from those who deeply understand these challenges, not just through research but through lived experience.

Older female founders bring the insight needed to create patient-centric solutions that truly address the root causes of health issues, rather than just treating symptoms. They are more likely to focus on longevity, preventative care, and holistic approaches to health, critical areas that traditional deeptech has often overlooked.

Moreover, they build companies differently. Studies show that female-led businesses tend to be more inclusive, collaborative, and long-term focused, qualities that are essential for solving complex healthcare and technology problems (McKinsey & Company, 2021). A deeptech ecosystem that actively supports and invests in older female founders will not just be fairer; it will be far more effective in delivering the breakthroughs we urgently need.

Breaking the Barriers

It's time for systemic change. The deeptech industry needs to recognize that innovation isn't the sole domain of the young. Investors must challenge their biases and actively seek out experienced female founders. Networks and accelerator programs should create dedicated initiatives to bring more older women into leadership roles. And, most importantly, we need to elevate the stories of the women already leading the charge, so that the next generation knows that founding a company in your 50s, 60s, or beyond isn't just possible, but an asset.

The future of deeptech isn't about disruption for the sake of it. It's about delivering better technology, longer and healthier lives, and meaningful, human-centred innovation. And that's exactly what older female founders are here to do, with a little more battle experience, a lot more resilience, and, let's be honest, far better multitasking skills.