• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent

2

Social Security unraveling: 7,100 workers sacked, performance metrics retired, disability claims falling

3

The Iran conflict has disrupted oil supply. Gulf states are now looking to multi-billion-dollar investments in renewables 

1

Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent

2

Social Security unraveling: 7,100 workers sacked, performance metrics retired, disability claims falling

3

The Iran conflict has disrupted oil supply. Gulf states are now looking to multi-billion-dollar investments in renewables 
NewslettersMPW Daily

How founders can tap women investors as a competitive advantage in 2026

Emma Hinchliffe
By
Emma Hinchliffe
Emma Hinchliffe
Most Powerful Women Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
Emma Hinchliffe
By
Emma Hinchliffe
Emma Hinchliffe
Most Powerful Women Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 12, 2026, 11:28 AM ET
Women are ready and willing to invest in private markets.
Women are ready and willing to invest in private markets. Getty Images

In 2026, women are investing their money—here’s how.

Recommended Video

A new survey from How Women Invest polls 315 respondents based in the U.S. Amid an uncertain economy and a market where access to capital can be difficult for founders and VCs, this survey attempts to understand whether women investors are pulling back or not. The women surveyed are already investing in private markets, but are mostly not full-time VCs or LPs looking for a return on millions in capital; they’re writing their first checks as angels or otherwise dipping their toes into the water.

So this year, 67% of respondents say they plan to invest between $25,000 and $49,000 in venture opportunities; that’s also their comfortable check size. Twenty-two percent say they plan to invest $50,000 to $99,000 this year in private markets. Twenty-seven percent of women say they’ve made only one or two private investments so far.

Seventy-seven percent still say they want to invest with a values-based lens, and 58% with a gender lens.

Among this cohort of new investors, 27% allocate only 1-5% of their portfolios to private markets. Sixty-three percent say they seek guidance or fully rely on advisors when writing these kinds of checks.

How Women Invest argues that these stats show women are ready and willing to invest in startups and funds; they just need “credible on-ramps into private markets.” The founders and fund managers who can bridge that gap will have access to a growing source of capital—one that can be transformative on an individual level, even if it’s not the billion-dollar rounds that make headlines.

Emma Hinchliffe
emma.hinchliffe@fortune.com

The Most Powerful Women Daily newsletter is Fortune’s daily briefing for and about the women leading the business world. Subscribe here.

ALSO IN THE HEADLINES

Sanofi ousted its CEO after a stalled turnaround effort. And his replacement is Belén Garijo, the head of German drugmaker Merck KGaA. In her role at Merck, Garijo was No. 39 on the Fortune Most Powerful Women list last year. Sanofi is No. 70 on the Fortune 500 Europe to Merck's No. 192. 

Epstein fallout continues at Wasserman. Following Chappell Roan's exit, soccer star Abby Wambach has now left the talent agency over founder Casey Wasserman's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Wambach's departure takes the exodus from music to the sports side of the house; she's the first athlete to leave in protest. Wambach said that Wasserman "should leave, so more people like me don’t have to." Guardian

Glossier enters reset mode. New CEO Colin Walsh laid off a third of the workforce yesterday at the beauty brand founded by Emily Weiss. Puck

Sixty-six percent of American women say the U.S. is on the wrong track for cost of living. And 82% of those respondents to that survey blame the Trump administration. 

ON MY RADAR

The women holding Minneapolis together Glamour

Is Jennifer Siebel Newsom the most underestimated woman in American politics? Marie Claire

The mayor's mother: What Mira Nair taught Zohran Mamdani Vulture

PARTING WORDS

"We, as women’s basketball players, have been the first to do a lot of things for women in team sports. There’s so much history to consider, and I want to be a responsible steward. We are the blueprint in a lot of ways." 

—Nneka Ogwumike, president of the Women’s National Basketball Players Association, who is guiding her fellow athletes through complex contract negotiations

This is the web version of MPW Daily, a daily newsletter for and about the world’s most powerful women. Sign up to get it delivered free to your inbox.
About the Author
Emma Hinchliffe
By Emma HinchliffeMost Powerful Women Editor
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Emma Hinchliffe is Fortune’s Most Powerful Women editor, overseeing editorial for the longstanding franchise. As a senior writer at Fortune, Emma has covered women in business and gender-lens news across business, politics, and culture. She is the lead author of the Most Powerful Women Daily newsletter (formerly the Broadsheet), Fortune’s daily missive for and about the women leading the business world.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Newsletters

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Newsletters

Image of $1 bills.
NewslettersEye on AI
AI may already be adding hundreds of billions to the economy—without showing up in the data
By Beatrice NolanJune 2, 2026
13 hours ago
E. Jean Carroll
NewslettersMPW Daily
As Trump targets E. Jean Carroll again, her documentary finally reaches theaters
By Emma HinchliffeJune 2, 2026
18 hours ago
Anthropic’s CFO Krishna Rao is steering one of the most anticipated IPOs ever
NewslettersCFO Daily
Anthropic’s CFO Krishna Rao is steering one of the most anticipated IPOs ever
By Sheryl EstradaJune 2, 2026
20 hours ago
dario
NewslettersTerm Sheet
Anthropic’s confidential S-1 signals summer AI IPO race could heat up fast
By Allie GarfinkleJune 2, 2026
21 hours ago
Daniela Amodei, co-founder and president of Anthropic, in San Francisco, California on May 9, 2024. (Photo: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
NewslettersFortune Tech
Anthropic’s IPO is no longer just a rumor
By Andrew NuscaJune 2, 2026
21 hours ago
Cognizant CEO says AI is remaking middle managers into player-coaches who can ‘both  execute and develop others’
NewslettersCEO Daily
Cognizant CEO says AI is remaking middle managers into player-coaches who can ‘both execute and develop others’
By Diane BradyJune 2, 2026
21 hours ago

Most Popular

Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent
Environment
Erin Brockovich, the activist who defeated a utility giant and inspired a Julia Roberts film, is pushing data centers to be more transparent
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJune 1, 2026
2 days ago
Social Security unraveling: 7,100 workers sacked, performance metrics retired, disability claims falling
North America
Social Security unraveling: 7,100 workers sacked, performance metrics retired, disability claims falling
By Katie Savin, Callie Freitag, Matthew Borus and The ConversationJune 2, 2026
18 hours ago
The Iran conflict has disrupted oil supply. Gulf states are now looking to multi-billion-dollar investments in renewables 
Energy
The Iran conflict has disrupted oil supply. Gulf states are now looking to multi-billion-dollar investments in renewables 
By Melissa HancockJune 1, 2026
2 days ago
'Where we are today is frightening': a Pulitzer-winning historian sees a doomsday scenario involving China and the national debt
Banking
'Where we are today is frightening': a Pulitzer-winning historian sees a doomsday scenario involving China and the national debt
By Nick LichtenbergJune 2, 2026
21 hours ago
Cognizant CEO is swimming against the tide on AI: he's hiring over 20,000 graduates this year and says AI tokenmaxxing is a 'vanity metric'
Conferences
Cognizant CEO is swimming against the tide on AI: he's hiring over 20,000 graduates this year and says AI tokenmaxxing is a 'vanity metric'
By Preston ForeJune 1, 2026
1 day ago
Trump tells Netanyahu, 'You're f—ing crazy' and Wall Street sees it as a sign he’s losing patience with the war and wants it done
Investing
Trump tells Netanyahu, 'You're f—ing crazy' and Wall Street sees it as a sign he’s losing patience with the war and wants it done
By Jim EdwardsJune 2, 2026
21 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.