Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The Skandalaris Center prioritizes Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion across all of our programs, events, and resources. We recognize that everyone benefits from access to these opportunities and resources, and that there are real barriers that may prevent some from realizing their full potential. We strive to connect students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the St. Louis community regardless of discipline or background.

Washington University’s Diversity Statement

As a community, we are united in our commitment to justice and racial equity. We will listen and engage to work toward mission-oriented action that makes our university and our city a beacon of justice to the world. (Learn more about WashU’s commitment to Diversity and Inclusion here.)

What we know:

• Females run nearly 40% of U.S.-based startups and small businesses*, while 18.3% are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and Latinx owned.**
  • For Black and Latinx-founded companies, 36% have a female founder, a higher percentage than the broader population.***
• Only 2% of U.S. venture funding is allocated to female founders****; with 2.4% of funding going to Black and Latinx founders.***

How we are addressing this imbalance:

• Attracting diverse representation in our programs through broad promotion and targeted recruitment for competition teams and program cohorts.
  • We know that teams with diverse perspectives create stronger venture concepts.
    • Women in Entrepreneurship Week Featured Founder: Test Prep Toolbox
    • Women in Entrepreneurship Week Featured Founder: Maria Lida Foundation
    • Student Founder Spotlight: Maggie Noe with Businesses United in Diversity
    • Student Founder Spotlight: Trey Rudolph with FreeEats
    • Women Business Leaders Explore How to Make Capital Friendly
    • Search more of our blog features here
• Placing women and people of color at the “front of the room,” as national council members, speakers, teachers, experts, mentors, authors of course materials, so all students can see themselves as successful entrepreneurs and innovators.
  • New National Council Members Deborah Barta of Mastercard and Summersalt CEO Lori Coulter
  • Making a Difference Through Fighting Ageism
  • The Need for Capital Black-Led Ventures
  • GIA Finalist Spotlight: Golden Roots Essentials
  • ReThink: Smashing the Myths of Women in Business
  • Alumna Launches Mentorship Collective for Women in Finance
• Tracking demographic gaps between those who remain engaged with the Center and those who do not. Using that data, we will work to retain students of all backgrounds and demographics to our programs and provide any necessary resources to bridge any gaps.
• Uncovering unconscious bias, especially during competition processes, to level the playing field for all entrepreneurs and create better investment opportunities.
  • Investors are more likely to make good investments, regardless of the gender of the founder, by asking entrepreneurs questions framed positively instead of negatively. Watch The real reason female entrepreneurs get less funding
  • Training competition judges to evaluate pitches equally and training participants to identify negatively framed questions and to respond positively to improve chances of increased funding.
• Developing IdeaBounce.com as a platform for schools across the country, with a special emphasis on connecting with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
  • We’re currently building partnerships with Harris-Stowe State University, Lincoln University, and Morehouse University, giving these schools and more a platform for innovators to share ideas and make connections.

This work is ongoing and constant. Previously, the Skandalaris Center hosted the Simon Initiative, which launched many of the above actions taken to reduce inequality and inequity and to improve access for all entrepreneurs. Going forward, the Skandalaris Center commits to regular review of our programs and resources for equity and diversity, and making the Center an inclusive home for all innovators and entrepreneurs. We welcome any feedback you may have on any of our offerings by email at sc@wustl.edu.

Beyond the university, St. Louis recently ranked as the city with the most female entrepreneurs (45.2% of founders are female). This work requires community support. For curated updates and opportunities, please sign up for our DEI newsletter below. To share what you are working or how you could engage with us, update us by email at sc@wustl.edu. Additional resources in the St. Louis community can be found here.

Students can learn more about DEI on campus through the Center for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

WashU Faculty and Staff can learn more about DEI resources through the Academy for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

*The State of Women-Owned Businesses Report, Forbes

**US Census Annual Business Survey

***Crunchbase Diversity Spotlight 2020

****Pitchbook –NVCA Venture Monitor; British Business Bank, Diversity VC & BVCA