Inside STAT: Scientists' plan aims to solve biotech's 'missing women' problem

(ADOBE)

For the past year, three prominent female scientists at MIT have been studying the reasons behind the glaring absence of women in the top echelons of biotech. They’ve learned, among other things, that if women faculty spun off companies at the same rate as their male peers, there would be 40 to 50 more startups. With this and more data in hand, the trio’s new Boston Biotech Working Group thinks it may have one way to narrow the gender gap. Women now hold 14% of board seats in venture capital firms, but five venture capital firms have now pledged “to do all in our power to ensure the boards of directors for companies where we hold positions of power are 25% female by the end of 2022.” STAT’s Sharon Begley has more here.