Level 20
Level 20 is a London-based not-for-profit industry body that runs mentoring, research, and networking programmes to increase the representation of senior women in European private equity and venture capital, funded by 120+ GP and LP sponsors across 13 chapters in 20 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersFrankfurt, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Level 20 does
Level 20 is a London-headquartered, pan-European not-for-profit industry body established to increase representation of senior women in private equity and venture capital investment roles. Its stated target is to raise women to at least 20% of senior investment positions across the industry, and the organization structures its activity around four service pillars: Professional Network, Career Development, Research & Insight, and Industry Engagement. Career Development includes structured mentoring programmes (Emerging Talent Group, Lead Self, Lead Others, and the VC Programme) plus outreach products such as the Dutch PE Academy, while Research & Insight produces a proprietary dataset covering 20,000+ investment professionals across 15 European countries with plans to expand to 20 by 2026, alongside recurring gender diversity and family leave reports.
The organization operates a sponsorship-funded business model: individual membership is free for anyone working in PE or VC, and the operating budget is funded by over 120 General Partner and Limited Partner sponsor firms. Distribution is digital-first via dedicated Member, Sponsor, and Careers portals, supplemented by 13 volunteer-led international committees across 20 European countries (Belgium, CEE, DACH, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, the Nordics, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the UK). Research collaborations with academic and philanthropic partners — including Columbia Business School, the London School of Economics' Inclusion Initiative, Three Cairns Group, and YSC Consulting — extend the organization's data footprint into the US market and reinforce its credibility as the reference industry body in this niche.
Level 20's core assets are its proprietary dataset, its mentor-matching programmes, and its pan-European volunteer committee network rather than any technology product. There is no evidence of a software platform, API, or AI/ML capability; the operating model is community-led, with growth driven by chapter expansion, mentoring cohort throughput, sponsor recruitment, and serial publication of country-specific research reports.
Level 20 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Level 20
- Legal name
- Level 20
- Website
- https://level20.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Level 20 is a London-based not-for-profit industry body that runs mentoring, research, and networking programmes to increase the representation of senior women in European private equity and venture capital, funded by 120+ GP and LP sponsors across 13 chapters in 20 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Level 20 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Private Equity Industry Body
- NAICS
- Professional Organizations (813920), Business Associations (813910)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- DEI, Equity & Inclusion Advisory (BPACAJAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), Institutional Capacity Building & Training (Workforce/Systems Strengthening) (BPADAEAC)
Keywords
Where Level 20 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Frankfurt
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Level 20 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Sponsorship: Level 20 operates as a not-for-profit organization funded entirely through sponsorship from General Partners (GPs) and Limited Partners (LPs) in the private equity and venture capital industry. Individual membership is free; sponsors fund the four core initiatives: Professional Network, Career Development, Research & Insight, and Industry Engagement.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Level 20 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Level 20 is a not-for-profit industry body providing free individual membership to women in private equity and venture capital across Europe. The organization delivers four core initiatives — Professional Network, Career Development, Research & Insight, and Industry Engagement — funded by 120+ GP and LP sponsor firms. It operates through 13 international chapters spanning 20 countries, serving 7,250+ members with mentoring programmes, gender diversity research, and industry convening activities.
Product overview
Level 20 is a not-for-profit organization serving as the leading industry body for women in private equity across Europe. The organization offers a unified membership platform with four core service pillars: Professional Network, Career Development, Research & Insight, and Industry Engagement. Under Career Development, it delivers structured mentoring programmes including The Emerging Talent Group Programme, The Lead Self Programme, The Lead Others Programme, and The VC Programme (country-specific variants exist, such as The Dutch PE Academy for university outreach). Research & Insight produces annual European Gender Diversity Reports and Family Leave Research across multiple countries. Individual membership is free, funded by over 120 GP and LP sponsors, with 7,250+ members across 13 European chapters in 20 countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Dutch PE Academy: An annual two-day outreach programme launched in 2021 for final year female university students in the Netherlands, introducing private equity as a career option.
- Emerging Talent Group Programme
- Lead Self Programme
- Lead Others Programme
- VC Programme
Products and services
- Professional Network
Quantifiable outcome
- 18% of Netherlands-based investment professionals are women in 2025, up from 15% in 2023
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Level 20
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Level 20 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Level 20 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- NVP (Nederlandse Vereniging van Participatiemaatschappijen)minorNVP, the Dutch private equity association, partnered with Level 20's Netherlands Chapter to deliver the Netherlands Diversity Report 2025.
- Columbia Business SchoolcoreLevel 20 collaborated with Columbia Business School (Professor Michael Ewens and the Private Equity Program) and Three Cairns Group to produce the Female Investment Professionals in US Private Equity report - the largest published dataset of US PE investment professionals tracking women's representation across more than 600 firms.
- Three Cairns GroupcoreThree Cairns Group, a philanthropic investment firm focused on climate crisis and gender equity in private equity, co-produced the Female Investment Professionals in US Private Equity report alongside Level 20 and Columbia Business School.
- The Inclusion Initiative (LSE)coreLevel 20 partnered with The Inclusion Initiative at the London School of Economics to produce the ACCELERATE report, which helps firms understand headwinds and tailwinds women encounter before making Partner and proposes a framework for implementing change.
- YSC ConsultingminorYSC Consulting partnered with Level 20 on the Reaping the rewards of retention report, focusing on insights from senior-level women in the industry.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Level 20 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Diversity Project: UK-based membership initiative driving inclusion and diversity across the investment and savings industry. Highly comparable mission and member-based model serving investment professionals, though cross-asset (not PE/VC-specific) and UK-only.
- 100 Women in Finance: Global non-profit membership organization focused on advancing women in alternative investments and finance, with similar mission, mentoring programs, and industry research. The closest direct comparable to Level 20 in mission, structure, and target audience, though broader in scope (covers hedge funds, private credit, etc.) and headquartered in the US.
- Girls Who Invest: US-based non-profit that runs scholarship and training programmes to increase women's representation in investment management, with similar pipeline/mentoring approach. Comparable as a gender-diversity-in-investing industry body, though more focused on asset management entry-level pipeline than senior PE progression.
Regional players
- France Invest: French PE/VC industry association, with membership-based structure and research activity. Comparable as a European PE industry body that Level 20's France chapter engages with, though broader in remit and country-restricted.
- NVP (Nederlandse Vereniging van Participatiemaatschappijen): Dutch PE industry association that partnered with Level 20 on the Netherlands Diversity Report 2025. Comparable as a regional PE industry body, though broader in mandate and local to the Netherlands.
- AVCA (African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association): Pan-African PE/VC industry body running events, research, and policy work. Comparable industry-association model for PE/VC, but operating in Africa rather than Europe, and not diversity-specific.
Others
- 2X Global: Industry organization for gender lens investing, mobilizing capital toward gender equality. Thematically related to Level 20's gender-equity mission in finance, but focused on capital deployment rather than career pipelines, and globally oriented rather than PE-specific.
Broad incumbents
- British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA): The principal UK PE/VC industry body, representing the broad PE/VC community including on policy, research, and talent. Comparable as a pan-PE membership organization running research and policy engagement, though much larger, member-fee funded, and not specifically focused on gender diversity.
- SEO (Sponsors for Educational Opportunity): Established non-profit running career development and mentoring programmes for underrepresented groups into finance, including alternative investments. Comparable mission in finance diversity pipelines, but with a broader remit spanning multiple under-represented groups and more entry-level focus.
Emerging players
- Out Investors: Network for LGBTQ+ professionals and allies in venture capital and private equity, with similar mentoring and community-building approach. Comparable as an underrepresented-group industry body in PE/VC, but focused on LGBTQ+ rather than gender, and at a much earlier stage.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Level 20 social profiles
Digital presenceLevel 20 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Level 20 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Level 20 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Level 20 M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Level 20
What does Level 20 do?
Level 20 is a not-for-profit industry body providing free individual membership to women in private equity and venture capital across Europe. The organization delivers four core initiatives — Professional Network, Career Development, Research & Insight, and Industry Engagement — funded by 120+ GP and LP sponsor firms. It operates through 13 international chapters spanning 20 countries, serving 7,250+ members with mentoring programmes, gender diversity research, and industry convening activities.
Is Level 20 a public or private company?
Level 20 is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Level 20 founded?
Level 20 was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Level 20 based?
Level 20 is headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Level 20 make money?
One revenue line is on record: sponsorship.
Who are Level 20's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Diversity Project, 100 Women in Finance and Girls Who Invest. Regional players are France Invest, NVP (Nederlandse Vereniging van Participatiemaatschappijen) and AVCA (African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association). 2X Global is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA) and SEO (Sponsors for Educational Opportunity). Out Investors is listed as an emerging player.
Does Level 20 have an API?
No public API is recorded for Level 20.
What industry is Level 20 in?
Level 20's product category is Private Equity Industry Body. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAJAJ, DEI, Equity & Inclusion Advisory, with a secondary code of BPAGADAD, Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits. Its NAICS code is 813920 and its SIC code is 8600.