Silicon Valley venture capital firm cleared of gender discrimination

US venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers has been cleared of discriminating against one of its female partners by a jury in California.

Ellen Pao had claimed that the Silicon Valley-based company had excluded her from promotions based on her gender and said she had been sacked after filing a complaint.

Pao, who is now an executive at Reddit, had sought £10.7m in compensation for lost wages, as well as punitive damages.

The jury found that the company did not discriminate on the basis on gender, that they did not withold promotions due to her gender and that her dismissal was not due to gender discrimination. It also found the firm had taken reasonable steps to prevent gender discrimination.

A statement from Kleiner said: "[The] verdict reaffirms that Ellen Pao's claims have no legal merit. We are grateful to the jury for its careful examination of the facts."

The firm acknowledged that "there is no question gender diversity in the workplace is an important issue", but said "KPCB remains committed to supporting women in venture capital and technology both inside our firm and within our industry".