Author(s) :

Sophia Huang.

Volume/Issue :

Abstract :

Investor decisions in startups often rely on the framing of market goals and vision rather than solely on hard data of growth and profitability, yet the idea that the interaction between framing, how founders present their goals and vision, and founder gender is underexplored. Because investors may interpret narratives through gender stereotypes, the same framing can be received differently depending on whether it is presented by a male or female founder. This suggests that framing may not affect all founders equally. This study uses past literature and examines how pitch style and gender influence investor evaluations to provide a conceptual analysis. It proposes that profit-focused pitches align with masculine stereotypes and favor male founders, while socially oriented framed pitches align with feminine stereotypes and favor female founders. Gender-incongruent framing, however, may reduce credibility by creating mixed signals. This study also identifies two moderating variables: investor gender and emotional expression. This research demonstrates that entrepreneurial funding decisions are not solely determined by venture quality but also filtered through gender expectations. The analysis advances theory by identifying framing as a gendered signal and offers practical guidance. Together, these insights highlight both barriers and pathways to gathering funding for female entrepreneurs.