Biotech is nothing like computer hardware in the 80s, for one you can't do it out of a garage with a few hundred dollars worth of equipment. You need money and credentials just to get started for practical and regulatory reasons.

It's more like starting Intel than Apple.

I do agree with you though that it's probably her sales ability rather than her gender that led to the investments. I think it's likely the investors thought she'd make a great cover story, and that contributed somewhat to her success, but I doubt her gender was anywhere near the defining reason.