2007 The Diana Group

Candida G. Brush, USA, Babson College
Nancy M. Carter, USA, University of St. Thomas
Elizabeth J. Gatewood, USA, Wake Forest University
Patricia G. Greene, USA, Babson College
Myra M. Hart, USA, Harvard Business School

The Diana group after receiving the Prize, Folkets Hus Stockholm May 2007.

For having investigated the supply- and demand-side of venture capital for women entrepreneurs. By studying women entrepreneurs who want to grow their businesses, they demonstrate the positive potential of female entrepreneurship.

Motivation

The Award is for the first time given to a group of women. The American based Diana group has among other things proven that women do not have the same possibilities as men when it comes to venture capital.

Five prominent entrepreneurship research scholars have pooled their competencies to create a research team examining women’s entrepreneurship. Important contributions lie in the identification of growth-oriented women entrepreneurs, and issues of access to and usage of resources.

They suggest women encounter supply-side barriers that include structural factors that preclude their access to equity finance. On the demand-side, their work has shown that women choose not to seek this type of investment and often start businesses in sectors or locations that do not match lender preferences. The Diana Project’s theoretical contribution has important widespread implications for policy makers and practitioners.

Titles, dates and places given above refer to the time of the Award.