Only 2% of VC funding goes to women. We're here to change that.

Only 2% of VC funding goes to women.
We're here to change that.
Above 2% is a movement for female founders who are done waiting for a seat at the table — and building their own.
Join the Movement →
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THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE
The Funding Gap Is Real
The data is stark. The disparity is undeniable. And the time to act is now.
2%
VC Funding to Women
The fraction of all venture capital that reaches female founders — a number that has barely moved in a decade.
$150B+
Capital to Male-Led Startups
Raised by male-led startups last year alone, while women-led companies fight for scraps of the remaining pool.
0
Excuses Left
Why we're done accepting this reality. The system wasn't built for us — so we're building a new one.
The gender funding gap isn't a pipeline problem. It's a power problem. And Above 2% is the answer.
HOW IT STARTED
From a Dinner Table to a Movement
In 2017, Rica Elysée gathered a small group of female founders around a dinner table. No agenda. No investors. Just women sharing what it really costs to build. That dinner series — "At the Table" — became a ritual, then a community, then a movement. What started as intimate conversations over a meal has grown into Above 2%: a full-scale platform for empowering female founders through education, capital access, and amplification.
Our Journey: Building a Legacy
2017
"At the Table" dinner series launches in NYC, bringing together female founders for honest conversations and peer support.
2020
Dinners expand to 5+ cities and 200+ founders before going virtual, unlocking global reach worldwide.
2022–Present
Above 2% officially launches as a full movement, driving summits, investor introductions, and amplification at scale.
Moments That Define Us
From intimate beginnings to empowering global events, our journey is captured in these key moments.
Connect with Above 2%
Join us at our signature events designed to foster connection, learning, and growth for female founders.
"At the Table" Dinner Series
Intimate, agenda-free founder dinners for genuine connections and shared experiences in cities nationwide.
Above 2% Summit {2027}
Our annual flagship event, bringing together hundreds of founders, investors, and industry leaders.
Pitch & Pour {TBA}
Casual pitch practice evenings designed to refine storytelling and presentation skills for early-stage founders.
Above 2% Gallery 
Curated sessions offering direct access to angel investors and VCs actively deploying capital.
Poker Night {TBA}
A high-stakes evening teaching female founders the art of deal-making, negotiation, and reading the room — skills every founder needs at the table.
THE MOVEMENT IN MOTION
What Change Looks Like
Above 2% operates at every stage of the founder journey — from first pitch to Series C and beyond. We don't just open doors; we build new ones.
WHAT WE DO
Three Pillars of Change
We don't just talk about the gap — we close it. Through education, connection, and amplification, Above 2% gives female founders everything the old boys' network never shared.
💡 Educate
Workshops, masterclasses, and resources on fundraising, pitch decks, and investor relations. We give you the tools the old boys' network never shared.
🤝 Connect
A vetted network of female founders, angels, and allies actively deploying capital. The right room, the right people, the right moment.
📢 Amplify
Press coverage, speaking opportunities, and visibility campaigns for women-led businesses. Because the world needs to hear what you're building.
WHO THIS IS FOR
Built for Every Woman Ready to Rise
Above 2% is a movement with a big tent. Whether you're raising your first round or your fifth, whether you're writing checks or building pipelines — there's a place for you here.
Female Founders
Raising your first or next round — you've built something real, now it's time to get the capital to match. We're here to help you close the gap between your vision and your valuation.
Women-Led Businesses
In beauty, tech, health, consumer goods, and social impact — sectors where women lead innovation but rarely lead the cap table. Your industry needs your leadership funded.
Angels & Investors
Committed to closing the gender funding gap — your capital has the power to change the next generation of industry. Deploy it where it creates the most impact.
Accelerators & Programs
That want to partner — let's build pipelines that actually reflect the world we're building. Together we can create systemic change that outlasts any single investment.
Why Now?
The Window Is Open.
Investors are paying attention. Female founders are proving returns — and the ones who move now will lead the next decade.
What You Get
Curated investor introductions
Fundraising workshops & pitch strategy
Press, visibility & speaking opportunities
A vetted community of founders & allies
THE FOUNDER
Meet Rica Elysée
Rica Elysée is a serial entrepreneur and the force behind Above 2%. She built BeautyLynk to 180+ markets without VC funding and created At the Table to give female founders a place to speak honestly about building.
Founder & CEO
BeautyLynk | Care in the Chair™ | Above 2%
180+ Markets
Scaled without VC funding
Movement Builder
Created At the Table now Above 2 Percent 
"Above 2% isn't a dream. It's a demand." — Rica Elysée
Learn More About Rica →
A NOTE FROM THE FOUNDER
"I built BeautyLynk from zero to 180+ markets without a single VC check. I know what it costs to build without capital — and I know what's possible when women finally get access to it. Above 2% isn't a dream. It's a demand."
— Rica Elysée
Founder, Above 2% | BeautyLynk | Care in the Chair™
Read the Blog →
Ready to Go Above 2%?
Join our community of female founders and get first access to resources, events, and investor introductions. Because 2% was never enough — and you were never meant to settle for it.
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"The 2% stops here."
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