We recently announced an investor training program in partnership with Stanford Center for Professional Development called Insider’s Guide to Silicon Valley Investing (May 4th to May 15th). It is a training program to work with angels, corporates and family offices who want to learn the playbook of 500 Startups and become savvy tech investors.

We’ve been thrilled with the quality and number of applicants so far. It ranges from fund managers, successful founders to family business owners who would like to develop their venture practice. Although we are truly satisfied with the quality, we saw a gender disbalance of the pool of applicants. Given that only 6% of venture capital consists of women partners, this is something we want to change.

At 500 Startups, we are committed to balancing the gender ratio on both sides of the table – founders AND investors. Our management team is 50% women, as is the rest of the company. We’ve also created 500 Women, an AngelList syndicate which invests in strong companies led by women founders.

Change doesn’t happen overnight, but we are committed to enacting change to reach “50/50” for founders and investors. To do that, we need your support.

That’s why today we’re announcing a 50% Tuition Scholarship for our IGSVI program. Women applicants will be eligible to be considered for 50% tuition to join our 2 week program. We are calling ALL founders, mentors and investors to help us find amazing women to be part of this inaugural class. Refer 1 woman whom you would like to see as your investor and we will reach out to them to offer a 50% scholarship for the program.

3 EASY WAYS YOU CAN HELP:

1. Nominate an awesome woman to join the IGSVI program and share on Facebook and Twitter:

“#50/50 FOR #500WOMEN — I recommend [AWESOME WOMAN] for 50% scholarship to http://.500.vc”

2. Contact amazing women in your network and encourage them to apply themselves at http://500.vc/apply. (It’ll help if they include “#50/50 #500women” in their application.”  If YOU’RE an amazing woman who wants to apply yourself, do it!

3. Email Bedy Yang, Managing Partner at 500, directly with referrals at bedy@500.co

We’re long overdue for a world with more women investors, and it starts right now.

Thanks to #500women #500strong team who continue to inspire me, Susan for her contributions to this post and Christine, my partner in crime on the 500 Management team.