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Bailey McCann, Opalesque New York:

Is VC culture deterring women entrepreneurs? Delegates at the recent Opalesque Diversity Roundtable suggest that the way VCs approach founders is keeping women from seeking VC funding.

"The culture, the terms, and the environment that it creates turn women off the industry," says Anya Navidski, Founding Partner of Voulez Capital. "In my observation, women are looking for a real partner in their investors and are not willing to take money just for the sake of cash."

According to Navidski, only 5% of decks seen by VCs are from women-led businesses. Part of the reason for that is that women don't trust VCs. They don't like the sector - they find the culture terrible and they choose to go a different route because they would rather have a slower growth rate than have the wrong investment partner on board.

In addition to alignment issues, women have difficulty finding the right connections. Amanda Pullinger CEO of 100 Women in Finance, noted that savvy women entrepreneurs and fund managers are out there, but because they aren't part of the male-dominated relationship pipeline, investors are often unaware of those opportunities. Pullinger says it's important for events coordinators and other connectors within the industry to make a conscious effort to feature women-led organizations at their events and networking opportunities.

Improving investment technology could also help women build relationships. "While there is st......................

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