Next Big Thing

Exciting opportunity for Femtech founders!

If you're an early-stage female founder in STEM, La Creme de la STEM? - female founders support system is looking for founding members. Launched January 21st, 2025, La Creme de la STEM? is a private, online network for early-stage female founders in tech or science, providing access to the knowledge of investors and guest speakers, and perks from corporate partners. Learn more below!

Job hunting? Ben Lang posted an excellent list of 38 startups with small teams of less than 25 people that are hiring right now. These are companies backed by top tier funds. The industries and geographies represented run the gambit. Link to his list over on Substack in the comments.

??? Calling all NYC founders! The Queens Tech + Innovation Challenge?is giving out five grants of up to $20,000 to new startups that are having or will have a positive impact on the borough of Queens. The program is designed to help early-stage entrepreneurs grow their businesses with grants, access to industry experts, and a founder network. Learn more and apply by March 1 via the link in comments!

?? Scale Culture, Not Chaos Organizational psychology reveals a clear path for cultural success: Teams with documented systems are 33% more effective and see 82% higher retention over two years. The science is simple—clear processes and structured onboarding reduces a sense of uncertainty and lowers cognitive load by 40%. What does this mean for founders? Build decision frameworks, training paths, and feedback loops early! Smart systems include: - Documented decision frameworks - Structured training paths - Regular feedback loops - Clear role definitions - Team mentorship pairs These systems create a foundation of psychological safety and team cohesion, turning positive behaviors into lasting cultural norms. Build your systems now. Scale with confidence.

?? The ROI of Intentional Leadership? 83% of workers say great leadership is about behavior, not titles (DDI Global Leadership Study, 2023). Leadership principles turn values into impact: ?? Value: Transparency ?? Action: Weekly founder updates ?? Result: 2.6x higher employee engagement Companies with strong leadership practices see: 37% lower turnover 2.3x faster execution 41% higher team performance How do your values translate to action?

Given everything in the news this week, we thought we'd share this: Female-founded Climate tech companies are MORE profitable, despite receiving a fraction of the investment that their male-led counterparts do. Boston Consulting Group found that female-founded startups return 78 cents for every dollar funded compared to male-founded startups returning just 31 cents. Once established, those with women in leadership positions had a 34% higher return on equity and 42% higher return on invested capital than counterparts with minimal or no women in leadership, according to a Catalyst study. Full story by Trellis Group in comments, but for us, this comes as no surprise. We know from a wealth of data that women in leadership translates to improved cultures -- more and better collaboration, increased rates of honesty and transparency, higher levels of trust from employees, and more. To our fellow female founders — ESPECIALLY those in world-transforming industries like Climate tech — don't let the (ongoing) attacks on gender equity in the workplace discourage you. Women are born leaders and the world needs us. ??

Values aren’t just words on a wall. They’re the foundation of every decision your team makes. As a founder, defining your values early ensures that your culture scales intentionally. Start small: Choose 3–5 values that align with your mission. Then, bring them to life by embedding them into hiring, onboarding, and everyday work.

Opportunity alert for diverse founders tackling issues in often-overlooked markets!