Advancing Diversity in Technology

Committed to Change

Bentley’s Acceleration Fund champions women and underrepresented minorities (African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans) as leaders in technology companies. Typically, only one in four tech startups have female founders, and the numbers are lower for minorities.  Acquiring funding is extremely challenging. Women-led companies received less than 3 percent of U.S. investment funds in 2019, and minority-led companies accounted for only 1 percent of funding opportunities. Yet, research from McKinsey indicates that women and minority led companies are often associated with greater profitability, thus “a lack of gender diversity carries with it a major opportunity cost, both for individual tech companies and the entire sector.”  Bentley’s Acceleration Fund recognizes the funding gap for diverse startups and are committed to investing in technology companies owned and led by women and minorities.