If investors are true to their instincts then they ought to be investing in women-led start-ups, which are being founded at five-times the rate of those led by men, said Astia CEO Sharon Vosmek.

Vosmek was speaking to Siliconrepublic.com editor John Kennedy during the recent Astia Venture Showcase in Dublin, which took place as part of Inspirefest 2016.

At the showcase, four companies that had women on their leadership teams presented to an invited audience of investors.

Vosmek explained that, since 2013, Astia, which was founded 15 years ago, has invested more than $11m of its own money and more than $100m in syndication with other investors.

She said that women are starting businesses at five-times the rate of men but investors, especially in Silicon Valley, are blind to this.

As a result, not only are entrepreneurs missing out, but investors are too.

She pointed out that women-led start-ups attract just 7pc of the total amount of venture capital invested annually and, correspondingly, only 7pc of partners at venture capital firms are women.

Words by John Kennedy