Balderton introduced parenting support for founders and became the first venture capital firm to offer free access to Cooper Parenting.
Led by Cooper Parenting, the program provides parents with access to expert guidance, resources, workshops and community-led peer support.
In particular, female founders are disproportionately affected by family caregiving responsibilities, which have been identified as the biggest barrier to business success for women entrepreneurs with children.
To begin with, family care responsibilities are cited as one of the biggest barriers preventing women from starting their own businesses, alongside lack of access to funding. There is a clear role for venture capital firms to play in helping entrepreneurs overcome these barriers and enable a thriving and diverse ecosystem.
Cooper Parenting gives Balderton founders access to a range of services, including expert parenting classes, 24/7 community chats, workshops and support on key issues from infant sleep and feeding to teenage body image, peer pressure and technology.
Founders can also join a group of other working parents with kids of a similar age, where they can attend monthly discussions led by parenting experts and get peer support.
The program expands on the company’s industry-leading Founder Well-Being and Performance Platform, which has engaged over 100 founders since its launch last year.
Balderton will also launch its second annual survey to better understand what entrepreneurs need to succeed and how their relationships with investors, teams and families influence them.
Gaby Sloam, founder of Cooper Parenting, said:
“I signed a Series A for my first startup while I was in the delivery room. Three days later, I was in a six-hour board meeting and had to pump milk in the middle. This is the reality for many female founders.”
“However, this issue remains hidden, with women unable to speak up or get the support they need for fear of the repercussions for their business. We are thrilled to support Balderton’s founders as they navigate their parenting and entrepreneurial journey.”
Rana Yared, General Partner at Balderton Capital, commented:
“I am personally a Cooper member and Cooper has been a lifeline to me for many years. Women entrepreneurs face many challenges unique to their path and we need to provide tailored support to help them overcome these hurdles in every way possible.”
The initiative is part of an industry-wide effort to support founders, especially those in the early stages. In March, Cherry Ventures introduced coaching as a core element of its investment model, making all future term sheets mandatory for newly backed founders (including core employees) to work with an executive coach from a select network. The goal is to equip founders with leadership support and skills from the early stages of their venture.
Main image: Balderton Capital. Photo: Uncredited.
