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The Importance of Diversity in VR and Venture Capital

Name: The Importance of Diversity in VR and Venture Capital
Uploaded: 2018-10-10T16:00:32+00:00
Duration: 1 min 13 s
Channel: GHION.AI
Description: In this brief talk, the speaker emphasizes the need for inclusive casting and representation in virtual reality (VR) projects, drawing parallels to…

10 Oct 2018 · 1 min

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1:13

In this brief talk, the speaker emphasizes the need for inclusive casting and representation in virtual reality (VR) projects, drawing parallels to Hollywood’s historic lack of minorities and women both on‑screen and behind the camera. They argue that because VR sits at the intersection of two male‑dominated fields—technology and gaming—there is a unique opportunity to embed gender diversity from the outset. Citing a Stanford study, the speaker highlights systemic bias: identical pitch decks presented by women (or with a female voiceover) receive roughly 40% less funding than those presented by men. The speaker calls for women not only to found VR companies but also to control the capital that funds them, asserting that funding decisions ultimately shape industry direction.

Chapters

As you notice the cast that we cast, I want to make sure that it was an inclusive cast because especially in Hollywood, there are very few minorities or women behind and in front of the camera. So that's something that I felt was important, which I also think is very important in VR because it's combining two super male dominated industries, right? You have tech and you have gaming, the two industries that come from. And when we're creating a completely new industry, it's the we have a chance to actually make sure that women are there from the really beginning. Which by the way means that there needs to be women where the money's at. Because there was a study I believe from Stanford that showed that a woman who's doing a presentation for pitching to a VC with the same exact pitch deck as a male is I believe 40% less likely to get funding the exact same pitch. And I think the Stanford study was showing slides with a female voiceover versus versus a male voiceover, same exact deck. Women was less likely to get funding. So you gotta fix that and you guys can do it. So for a lot of ladies, it would be great if you guys didn't only be the ones to start companies, but also are the money because that's where a lot of the power is at. It's like who you decide to fund ultimately.