Accelerators, Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy and Venture Capital: A Gender Perspective Model

Venture Capital is an important source of funding for startups. Yet, it is not equally available to all entrepreneurs: there is a significant gap in equity funding for female entrepreneurs. In this paper, we show that Accelerator Programs have a direct impact in reducing this gap. We propose a conceptual model that explains why Accelerator Programs positively impact accelerated startups and how this effect is different for female and for male entrepreneurs. We make an initial empirical validation of the model and find that female entrepreneurs who go through Accelerator Programs increase their chances of receiving Venture Capital financing and that the marginal effect is more pronounced for female than for male entrepreneurs.