India, March 8 -- Venture capital continues to operate within a capital architecture where gender disparities are deeply embedded in investment behaviour and outcomes. Research shows that investor questioning patterns themselves reflect bias. Male founders are typically asked promotion-oriented questions focused on growth and upside, while female founders are more frequently asked prevention-oriented questions centred on risk and downside. A Harvard Business School study demonstrated that investors consistently preferred pitches presented by male entrepreneurs, even when the underlying business content was identical to the pitches by women entrepreneurs.

These behavioural biases translate directly into capital allocation. Globally, women...