Rizzo, Antonino EmanueleAlmeida, Francisco Pinto Ribeiro Brás de2024-04-052024-04-052023-01-132022-12-16http://hdl.handle.net/10362/165863Employing a dataset with early-stage Venture Capital deals that occurred in the first semesters of 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2022 within the Portuguese startup ecosystem, this work analyzes disparities in startup investments according to the founders’ gender. Women are founding only 20% of startups, and females are just 10% of entrepreneurs. Furthermore, the work examines behaviors or patterns in venture financing before and after COVID-19 within the Portuguese entrepreneurial environment. Early-stage investment has grown 123% since the first semester of 2019, but there is a negative effect in “Seed” round sizes coming from female-founded startups that raise funds after COVIDengVenture capitalStartupsFemale foundersPandemicmaster thesis203363671