A Contextual Approach to Gender Stereotypes in Tech Startup Hiring
Using a contextual lens, the study explores gender differences in entrepreneurial performance by focusing on founders’ success in recruiting employees. In a randomized online experiment with more than 770 job seekers in the United States, the researchers compared application intentions toward otherwise identical tech startups—differing only in the founder’s gender.
The findings are striking: Job seekers were significantly less likely to apply to startups led by women. Why? Because female founders in tech were perceived as less competent, agentic, and growth-oriented compared to their male counterparts—even when offering the same innovative product.
These results highlight how descriptive and prescriptive gender stereotypes continue to disadvantage women in male-dominated fields like technology entrepreneurship. Notably, the study also reveals a promising strategy: Gender-diverse leadership teams substantially reduce gender bias in applicants’ perceptions and increase the attractiveness of female-led startups.
Here you will find a summary in simple language for knowledge transfer
Here is a short summary from the Strategic Management Society