The State of D&I in Startups

The benefits of diversity and inclusion, and its positive impact on the financial performance and sustainability of companies, have been well documented. The below case studies and reports provide some resources you can point to that support the business case for D&I.

  • Diversity During COVID-19 Still Matters (McKinsey & Co)

    In this report, McKinsey highlights the importance of diversity and inclusion for business recovery, resilience and reimagination. Although companies may be tempted to pull back D&I efforts during this crisis, research over the last five years shows that diverse companies are more likely to out-earn their industry peers and the penalties for a lack of diversity have grown.

  • Diversity & Inclusion in Technology (Techstars)

    This survey of tech startups by Techstars shares what startups are and aren’t doing to address D&I within their companies. A significant majority of founders believe that building diversity is extremely or very important for their company, with diversity enhancing creativity, innovation and improving problem solving.

  •  2020 Diversity in the Workplace Report (Vessy)

    Vessy’s independent D&I report shares trends, data, tips and more for companies looking to better incorporate D&I into their business, as well as guidance on how to bring ideas into action, engage with stakeholders and build inclusive corporate cultures.

  • Deconstructing the Pipeline Myth and the Case for More Diverse Fund Managers (Kauffman Foundation)

    Research by Kauffman Fellows found that investing in diversity makes financial sense for startups. Diverse founding teams returned 30% more capital to investors than all-white founding teams when exiting in an acquisition or IPO.

  • First Round State of Startups 2019 (First Round)

    The fifth edition of the State of Startups reports that 80% of founders believe having a more diverse team will have a direct positive impact on the value of their startup. It also found that employees are three times more likely to anticipate leaving their company within the next year when they feel the leadership is not prioritizing diversity and inclusion.