Few places is the gender imbalance more visible than the VC funding world. With only 9% of C-level positions at startups and 6% of CEOs being female, the imbalance isn’t just embarrassing, it’s shortsighted considering the spend and purchase control exerted by the group. Google’s first accelerator for female-led startups just had its first round of graduates who are looking to redress the balance.

Spanning cancer to commerce, the group of ten graduates is a diverse bunch from around the globe and with diverse backgrounds. During the initial six-week programme (now extended until December), founders were given access to Google tools, expertise and mentoring. Whether help was focused in a specific area or across several areas, the programme was targeted to the individual needs of the startup.