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Sunday, April 26, 2026
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Theodora Lau says ENOUGH with the excuses! Why Fintech Needs Female Founders

Funding for female founders is at a dismal low. Author and fintech founder of Unconventional Ventures, Theodora Lau talks to FF News about the industry’s lackluster funding culture and why the economy will thrive if we paid more attention to women and underrepresented professionals. 

Theodora Lau, founder of Unconventional Ventures, takes us through her experience of ageism and opportunity within the market. 

“Financial services are built on deposit, so if people are decumilating and taking money out, chances are banks don’t really care much about them.”

Theodora Lau, Founder, Unconventional Ventures

‘Financial services are built on deposit, so if people are decumilating and taking money out, chances are banks don’t really care much about them. I met a bank manager at a conference who came up and told me ‘why do I care about old people?’ ​​But herein lies the problem. We are living an extra 30 healthy years, and have been since the early 1900s. If you look at the way we work it’s also different, I started my company when I was 46. The way we live has changed’.

Lau’s company focuses on developing and growing an ecosystem of financial institutions, corporations, startups, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and accelerators to better address the unmet needs of consumers, with keen interests in women and minority founders. The amount of funding given to female startups in the US is at 2%, and it’s clear Lau has a keen interest in creating change. 

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