Montreal, October 24, 2024

Launched in October 2021 by Investissement Québec and transferred to Réseau Capital in 2022, the Capital femmes indicator – the first of its kind in Quebec – provides a snapshot of female representation in management firms with a presence in Quebec and in Quebec companies that have received funding from these investment funds.

Steady Progress

This year’s analysis results show encouraging progress over the period from 2016 to 2023. Although there was a slight decrease in investments in women-owned or women-led companies compared to last year, these investments have grown by 18% since 2016. Additionally, there has been a slight increase in the number of female partners in the surveyed firms.

To collect this data, Réseau Capital reached out to 50 investment firms to determine the number of women-founded or women-led companies in the managers’ portfolios. Of these, 88% participated in the study. These venture capital and development firms manage approximately 396 Quebec-based companies in their portfolios and have made 521 investments.

“Diversity, particularly gender diversity, is a significant competitive advantage for an investment management firm as it helps better understand a wide range of perspectives and opportunities. It is therefore important for Réseau Capital’s Center of Expertise to closely monitor this evolution, allowing us to base our actions on solid data. While the results are encouraging, they motivate us to push further, notably through various initiatives of our ELLE-Invest committee,” said Olivier Quenneville, President and CEO of Réseau Capital.

Key Findings of the Analysis

This year’s analysis results reveal encouraging progress, both in terms of female representation in management firms and in the investments made by these funds in women-founded or women-led companies.

• 66% of surveyed management firms have at least one female partner.
• Female partners represent 23% of all partners in active management firms in 2023.
• Since 2016, 49% of transactions have been made in companies with at least one female co-founder or leader.
• $2.6 billion has been invested since 2016 in women-owned or women-led companies, out of a total of $3.9 billion, representing 66% of the total investments.

You can consult the data compiled by Capital femmes here.

Réseau Capital would like to thank its partners Fondaction, Fonds de Solidarité FTQ, and Investissement Québec for their valuable contribution to this analysis.

About Réseau Capital

Réseau Capital is the investment capital association that brings together all players in the investment chain operating in Quebec. Its mission is to contribute to the development and dynamism of the investment capital industry, which plays a crucial role in the growth and financing of businesses in Quebec. Founded in 1989, Réseau Capital represents nearly 100 corporate members, including private equity, tax-advantaged, and public funds, as well as banks, accounting and law firms, and numerous professionals working in the industry.

Réseau Capital’s Center of Expertise aims to facilitate access to quality data on investment capital in Quebec, establish strategic monitoring of the industry, and contribute to the development of knowledge to better understand and stimulate the ecosystem.

SOURCE

Réseau Capital

For information

Luc Tousignant,

Vice President, Business Development

Phone: 514-594-2393

Email: luc@reseaucapital.ca