She wanted to start her own tech company. Now, she just wants to make rent

Amid the pandemic, women are leaving the workforce four times more frequently than men are, according to the U.S. Labor Department.

Many worry about the repercussions that could have for women's careers in the long run, too.

Joan Palmiter Bajorek is a Seattle tech worker with expertise on voice assistants like Siri and Alexa.

Before the pandemic, she had a goal: “My dream was to start a company,” she said — a company that helps humans and machines talk to each other.

But first, she had to save up money by working for another company. Then in August, she was laid off.

For many entrepreneurs, that would have been the moment to start their own company. But venture capital has dried up for women, more than it has for men, according to Pitchbook.

And a new survey by the Female Founders Alliance shows a majority of women are having to put their startup dreams on hold.

“When you lose your job, you’re making sure you pay your rent, rather than those cool ambitious things that you want to be doing,” Bajorek said.