Galvanizer

It’s a #WRAP .. .. on the ???????????????????? ???????????? #2024 program ????! It has been such a joy for Alice Liu, Sonja A., Holly Burwick and Laura Kiehl to be leading the program this summer! What a phenomenal experience getting to know these incredible female founders, learning more about their passions and watching them build their companies. We couldn’t be more proud to have been a small part of their journey- congratulations on all of your accomplishments! As we close our program, we would like to thank those without whom this would not have been possible: ??Our facilitators, for ardently leading the weekly gal groups? ??Our experts, for sharing their wisdom & actionable learnings? ??Our VCs, for offering valuable feedback, pressure tests & even personal contacts ??Our gals, for being their amazing selves Until next time, keep innovating, inciting & inspiring! #femalefounders #galvanizer #2024cohort #accelerator #entrepreneurship #womenownedbusiness #femaleceo

“Joining Galvanizer this summer allowed me to bond with ambitious, inspiring women who all motivate and help each other in their entrepreneurial journeys. The shared experiences and collective growth we had together were truly special and the relationships built will undoubtedly transcend way beyond the program.” Jiaxin (Jia) Zhang, CSM? is the co-founder of Sara, an AI-powered, personalized speech therapy app transforming care for children with speech-sound disorders. By tailoring support to each child's unique needs, Sara empowers caregivers and Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) with cutting-edge AI technology, making impactful progress accessible to all. Bound by the shared experience of having faced their own language challenges, Jia and her co-founder Jonathan bring a deep, personal understanding of the struggles children can have with speech. Jia is a Columbia Business School MBA candidate having spent six years in management consulting at PwC alongside financial experience from Goldman Sachs and Raymond James Financial. #femalefounders #galvanizer #2024cohort #accelerator #entrepreneurship #womenownedbusiness #femaleceo

“Being part of Galvanizer is a powerful experience for women founders. Instead of trying to fit into spaces created by others, we are focused on building our own—where we can leverage our unique strengths and perspectives. In Galvanizer, we uplift and support each other as we navigate the founder journey together. This is our time, and I am proud to be part of it.” Meet Maria Mejia! Maria is the founder of The Cold Brew Project, a startup that makes naturally sweet cold brew with only two ingredients: coffee from her country, Colombia, and water. No sugar needed. She left her 10+ year career in the oil & gas industry to earn her Master's at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business , shifting her focus to transforming the coffee industry. Maria is passionate about elevating quality in coffee because it has the power to transform lives with a more equitable supply chain. Now serving offices across the Bay Area with cold brew on tap, you can join the movement simply by enjoying delicious coffee. ?? Learn more about TCBP here: www.thecoldbrewproject.com #femalefounders #galvanizer #2024cohort #accelerator #entrepreneurship #womenownedbusiness #femaleceo?

??Pitching Updates Presenting our extraordinary lineup of 18 female founders who are gearing up for?Galvanizer 2024 Pitch Day! They are so excited to share what they have been working on, and we can’t wait for our VC panel and guests to hear about the companies they’re building! Join us in celebrating our founders representing the country’s MBA programs, including? ?? Stanford University Graduate School of Business ?? Columbia Business School ?? Harvard Business School ?? MIT Sloan School of Management ?? The Wharton School ?? University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business? ?? Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management #femalefounders #galvanizer #2024cohort #accelerator #entrepreneurship #womenownedbusiness #femaleceo

”Navigating the complex landscape of emerging markets can be daunting, but being a part of a supportive community of like-minded women founders makes all the difference. Galvanizer offers a unique space where I can connect with peers who understand the challenges of building a tech-driven startup while balancing advanced academic pursuits." Meet Anita S?ne Itaman! Anita is a dual The Wharton School MBA candidate and Harvard University MPA candidate. She is the founder of Voya, a B2B2C concierge marketplace app that connects clients with vetted drivers, airport escorts, and security services in emerging markets. Voya addresses the problem of unreliable service, inconsistent pricing, and outdated processes by offering dynamic pricing and seamless payments on a reliable platform. Before embarking on her entrepreneurial journey, Anita specialized in Healthcare Management at the University of Pennsylvania and was a full time consultant at Accenture New York's Innovation Hub, focusing on innovation strategies. ?? Learn more about Voya here: www.voya.io #femalefounders #galvanizer #2024cohort #accelerator #entrepreneurship #womenownedbusiness #femaleceo?

“I’m honored to be part of a community where founders come together not just to share knowledge but to challenge, inspire, and elevate each other. Galvanizer offers the rare opportunity to grow alongside incredibly passionate and talented entrepreneurs at the earliest stages of our journeys.” Meet Lizzie Hunpatin, the co-founder of Lace, a simple and intelligent product lifecycle management platform that enables designers and product developers at fashion and home decor brands to collaborate seamlessly with their craft manufacturers. Lizzie is passionate about the potential for automation to break down barriers to technology adoption, empowering small businesses to realize their full potential and reinvest in their workforces. Currently, Lizzie is an MBA student at Stanford University Graduate School of Business. She began her career in buy-side investing, initially at Morgan Stanley, where she focused on fintech and financial services. She then moved on to Thomas H. Lee Partners as a private equity associate, specializing in B2B software and robotics. #femalefounders #galvanizer #2024cohort #accelerator #entrepreneurship #womenownedbusiness #femaleceo?

"Galvanizer has kept me sane through the rollercoaster of early start-up life. I especially loved our weekly “office hours”, several with established founders who like me, are new moms. They showed me that with tenacity anything is possible and that being a mom is our superpower and not our weakness." Meet Anastasia Bonaccorso! Anastasia is the founder of Fanny, a modern DTC healthcare brand on a mission to relieve the pain and shame around (literal) pains in the a**. Fanny was inspired by her own very personal and uncomfortable health journey.? Equal parts left and right brain, Anastasia graduated Phi Beta Kappa from University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business and spent 15 years in events and marketing in healthcare, tech and media. She also has a Masters in Fine Arts from UCLA where she trained in writing, acting and directing. Her first feature screenplay is set to film in Greece next Spring. For Anastasia, storytelling is not just a buzzword, it’s an art she is determined to apply to combat the stigma around women’s anorectal and perineal health. #femalefounders #galvanizer #2024cohort #accelerator #entrepreneurship #womenownedbusiness #femaleceo

“I joined Galvanizer to be part of an amazing community of driven, talented women who get the unique challenges of female entrepreneurship. The chance to connect, share experiences, and get support from this group has been invaluable and inspiring.” Meet Riddhima Kapoor, the founder of Veggie Vice, a clean vegetable chip made with no oils or additives for nutritious and guilt-free indulgence on the go. Riddhima is a recent The Wharton School 2024 graduate who started her career in investment banking, helped scale skincare startup, AAVRANI, as Chief of Staff and has worked with numerous CPG startups throughout her time at Wharton and beyond. #femalefounders #galvanizer #2024cohort #accelerator #entrepreneurship #womenownedbusiness #femaleceo

In our final Expert Office Hours we were joined by the exceptional Heidi Zak. Heidi is the Co-Founder and CEO of ThirdLove, the top online intimate brand with millennials, that has donated over $50 million worth of products to women in need since inception. Heidi has been recognized as Fortune's 40 Under 40, EY Entrepreneur of the Year, National Retail Federation's Disruptors, Fast Company’s Most Creative People and Goldman Sachs' 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs. In this #AskMeAnything, Heidi shared her advice on anything entrepreneurial, from brand building and hiring, to overcoming startup and personal challenges. Here’s what every early-stage founder should know: ?? Channel: the mindset of the most successful (tech) entrepreneurs & think “what would X do?” ?? Derisk: don’t have Product-Market-Fit yet? Find ways to defuse the risk for customers & your startup ?? Envision: the future & articulate it effectively - it may feel fake but remember, you are communicating what you are building towards not what you have today ?? Ensure: you have stable & reliable support, especially in the face of competing larger life commitments - whether family, partner, nanny or other, use what works for you ?? Focus: on operations as much as impeding competitors - it’s working until it’s not, so be aware of trends & players no matter your size & scale ?? Lower: your hiring expectations. No one person can do all the 100 things you need & noone will ever care as much as you do - be realistic ?? Leverage: leverage, leverage! Any tactical hurdles have been done before. Don’t start from scratch but use networks & ask for advice. #entrepreneurship #founder #branding #fundraising #sales #hiring #earlystage #galvanizer #2024cohort #LinkedInTopVoice

2024 Pitch Day is only 2 weeks away! We couldn’t be more excited to welcome these accomplished women on our VC panel this year. Get excited for top investors including? ??Anna Pi?ol from NFX ??Sarah Smith from Sarah Smith Fund ??Veni D. Dhr from ADP Ventures ??Iynna Halilou from The MBA Fund ??ilana stern from Peterson Ventures Big shout out to our investors for taking the time to panel, assess and feedback on the gals startup progress! #galvanizer #pitchday #femalefounders #galvanizer #2024cohort #accelerator #entrepreneurship #womenownedbusiness #femaleceo