Women Founders Education Foundation

WOMEN FOUNDERS NETWORK IS A 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT PROVIDES EDUCATION ON ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INVESTING TO WOMEN AND GIRLS.

IN 2023, WE CONTINUED AND EXPANDED OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING FOR HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS, COLLEGE WOMEN AND FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS. NEXT GENERATION INVESTORSTHE JUNIOR VENTURE CAPITALIST PROGRAM (FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE JUNIOR JUDGE PROGRAM) FOR HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS HAD 9 VIRTUAL MEETINGS WITH WOMEN BUSINESS LEADERS TO LEARN ABOUT ENTREPRENEURSHIP,LEADERSHIP, VENTURE CAPITAL AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES. GIRLS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN A FACILITATED REVIEW OF THE WOMEN FOUNDERS NETWORK FAST PITCH FINALIST COMPANIES WITH A SEASONED INVESTOR. THE JR. VC PROGRAM CULMINATED IN THE GIRLS ATTENDING THE ANNUAL WOMEN FOUNDERS NETWORK FAST PITCH EVENT. THE GIRLS WATCHED THE PITCHES, ASKED FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS OF THE FOUNDERS, THEN DELIBERATED TO SELECT THEIR WINNER AND PRESENTED A SPONSORED CASH PRIZE. WE INCREASED THE PARTICIPANT NUMBER TO 44 IN-PERSON STUDENTS AND ADDED A VIRTUAL COMPONENT FOR NON-LOCAL STUDENTS WITH 11 PARTICIPANTS. FOR THE THIRD YEAR, WE HAD OUR DUE DILIGENCE ANALYST PROGRAM FOR UNIVERSITY WOMEN (FORMERLY KNOWN AS WFF FELLOWS PROGRAM). THE PROGRAM OFFERS REAL-WORLD, RESUME-BUILDING EXPERIENCE. STUDENTS WERE SELECTED THROUGH AN APPLICATION PROCESS, HAD 2 ZOOM SESSIONS TO LEARN ABOUT PERFORMING DUE DILIGENCE ON EARLY STAGE STARTUPS AND GIVEN ACCESS TO RESOURCE MATERIALS. PARTICIPANTS WORKED IN TEAMS OF TWO WITH A MENTOR. EACH TEAM WAS ASSIGNED TO EVALUATE ONE OF THE FAST PITCH FINALIST COMPANIES AND PRESENT A DUE DILIGENCE REPORT THAT WAS PROVIDED TO THE FAST PITCH JUDGES AND JR. VCS. AN AWARD WAS GIVEN TO THE BEST TEAM. WE HAD AN INCREASE OF 20 PARTICIPANTS FROM 15 STUDENTS IN 2022. FEMALE ENTREPRENEURSOUR STARTUP FUNDAMENTALS WEBINAR SERIES INCLUDED TOPICS ON CREATING A PITCH DECK, VALUATION AND NEGOTIATION, FINANCIAL FORECASTS, CAP TABLE BASICS, RETAINING OWNERSHIP RIGHTS, AND MARKETING STRATEGIES. TWO FIRESIDE CHAT WEBINARS FOCUSED ON BOOSTING GROWTH AND MARKET SHARE, AND MAKING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS EXIT. OUR IN-PERSON LAUNCH EVENT WITH OVER 100 ATTENDEES FEATURED FAST PITCH ALUMNA DISCUSSING HOW THEY RAISED CAPITAL FOR THEIR COMPANIES. THE 11TH ANNUAL FAST PITCH COMPETITION RECEIVED A RECORD NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS (176) AND 10 FINALISTS WERE SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM. EACH FOUNDER IS PROVIDED A PITCH COACH, PRO BONO FINANCIAL CONSULTING, A PACKAGE OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, AND PERKS FOR DISCOUNTS ON A WIDE ARRAY OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES. THE FAST PITCH FINALISTS ALSO PARTICIPATE IN TWO PRACTICE PITCH EVENTS FOR FRIENDLY FEEDBACK IN PREPARATION TO COMPETE FOR CASH GRANTS AT OUR ANNUAL FAST PITCH EVENT AT UCLA, WHICH WAS ATTENDED BY NEARLY 300 PEOPLE. WE AWARDED $55,000 IN NON-DILUTIVE CASH GRANTS TO THE WINNING FOUNDERS IN 2023.