<article>Startups founded or co-founded by women in Southeast Asia bagged $4.43 billion in funding in 2021, finds DealStreetAsia&#8217;s latest report. 
These companies accounted for 17.2% of all private capital raised by startups in the region last year, up from 16.5% in 2020, according to <a href="https://www.dealstreetasia.com/reports/female-founders-in-se-asia-2021/">Female Founders in SE Asia 2021</a>. Launched on International Women’s Day, this is DealStreetAsia&#8217;s second annual report on funding for female founders and co-founders in Southeast Asia.</article>

Startups founded or co-founded by women in Southeast Asia bagged $4.43 billion in funding in 2021, finds DealStreetAsia&#8217;s latest report. 
These companies accounted for 17.2% of all private capital raised by startups in the region last year, up from 16.5% in 2020, according to <a href="https://www.dealstreetasia.com/reports/female-founders-in-se-asia-2021/">Female Founders in SE Asia 2021</a>. Launched on International Women’s Day, this is DealStreetAsia&#8217;s second annual report on funding for female founders and co-founders in Southeast Asia.
According to the inaugural report in the series, female-founded and co-founded startups had raised $1.4 billion in 2020. 
<h3>A snapshot from the report</h3>
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-283998 size-full" src="https://media.dealstreetasia.com/uploads/2022/03/slide1-e1646696650475.png?resize=640,301" alt="" srcset="https://media.dealstreetasia.com/uploads/2022/03/slide1-e1646696650475.png?w=1276 1276w, https://media.dealstreetasia.com/uploads/2022/03/slide1-e1646696650475.png?resize=300,141 300w, https://media.dealstreetasia.com/uploads/2022/03/slide1-e1646696650475.png?resize=1024,482 1024w, https://media.dealstreetasia.com/uploads/2022/03/slide1-e1646696650475.png?resize=768,362 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1276px) 100vw, 1276px" data-recalc-dims="1" />
Excluding Grab, which bagged $2.3 billion in equity and debt financing in 2021 before its IPO, the data shows a noticeable improvement in both the overall funding – $2.13 billion – and the share of total financing for female (co)founders at 8.9%, up from 4.7% in 2020.
Startups founded solely by women, meanwhile, raised $159 million, or a mere 0.6% of total funding bagged by private companies in 2021. In comparison, companies founded solely by women in the US received 2% of all capital secured by VC-backed startups last year, according to PitchBook.
With $3.37 billion, Singapore startups led the tally in terms of the capital raised by female (co)founders, thanks in large part to Grab. Indonesia, which is home to unicorns Ajaib, Xendit and Kopi Kenangan, ranked second with $862 million in total funding.
The deal count shows the strides made by female founders in Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia. Most of these entrepreneurs are running younger startups and, therefore, raising smaller amounts.
<h3>Deals by HQ</h3>
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-284010" src="https://media.dealstreetasia.com/uploads/2022/03/deals-hq.png?resize=640,321" alt="" data-recalc-dims="1" />
Founders we spoke to for this report pointed to society’s expectations of women, implicit and explicit gender biases, and the lack of enough female founders, investors and mentors as stumbling blocks.
&#8220;When it comes to fundraising, female founders may face some gender biases from investors along the way, although I must say it’s much better today! Back in the day, for example, I have had potential investors ask me when I plan to have children because they thought that might affect my involvement and commitment to the business,&#8221; said Love, Bonito co-founder Rachel Lim.
Founders were also confident that the startup ecosystem in the region is moving in the right direction.
&#8220;I believe that nowadays it has gotten easier for women-founded companies to raise capital because so many great women founders have successfully paved the way and shown us how it can be done,&#8221; said ASTRO co-founder and COO Jessica Stephanie Jap. She is one of three female co-founders at the Indonesian quick commerce company.
<hr />
<a href="https://www.dealstreetasia.com/reports/female-founders-in-se-asia-2021/">Female Founders in Southeast Asia 2021</a> captures:
<ul>
<li>Deal count by country, vertical and funding stage</li>
<li>Share of capital raised by country, vertical and funding stage</li>
<li>Top dealmakers</li>
<li>Founder perspectives</li>
</ul>
This report is available exclusively to DealStreetAsia – Professional subscribers. 
<a href="https://www.dealstreetasia.com/user/plans?intent=subscribe&amp;next=/">Subscribe/upgrade your subscription now</a> to access our entire set of reports. Still not sure? <a href="https://www.dealstreetasia.com/accounts/payment/plan/rt01/?intent=subscribe&amp;next=/">Opt for a one-month trial for only $208.</a>

SE Asia's female founders, co-founders bagged 17.2% of all private funding in 2021

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SE Asia's female founders, co-founders bagged 17.2% of all private funding in 2021

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