Womenx Innovators

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the Creating a Defensible AI Startup Dinner & Panel?hosted by Womenx Innovators and the AI Innovators Community (AIC). Being surrounded by such inspiring and brilliant women—many of whom are founders—was extremely energizing! A huge thank you to Georgina A.., Maria Gorskikh, and Madison Julia Miranda for organizing this incredible event and for bringing together an amazing community of women. The startup space is dynamic and challenging, and it's gatherings like these that remind me of the power of community, collaboration, and shared knowledge - and keep me excited about the growth ahead in this space!

I had a great conversation with US Navy vet, Bobby Stroup last week about using entrepreneurship as a way of making positive change in this world. He and the Harvard Law Entrepreneurship Project are helping several awesome startups from Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology work through legal questions that kill a lot of promising startups. As we celebrate our #veterans today, lessons from the military, including tenacity, teamwork and a commitment to mission over self are attributes that are critical for #socialinnovators such as LymeAlert. We are part of a community. Community means figuring out how to solve problems that affect all of us. We, not me. Crushing #lymedisease is just the beginning. Let's GO!

This week was tough. Regardless of your political beliefs, we can all agree that seeing a woman reach the highest position of power in the US would have been a historic milestone—one capable of inspiring generations to come. But after recent events, I worry that young girls may wonder if society will ever fully embrace them as leaders. Even so, I choose to stay hopeful, because I believe we are making progress. And here’s why… The worlds of entrepreneurship and venture capital have long been challenging for women to navigate. But in the past weeks, I've attended TWO incredible events dedicated to women entrepreneurs, and they were nothing short of inspiring. ?? These gatherings reminded me that change is happening. Communities and networks are being built to empower women to see themselves as leaders—and it’s working. Being part of this growing momentum fills me with hope for what’s to come. ??? The first event was the Girls Into VC in VC X Harvard Undergraduate Women in Entrepreneurship conference at Harvard, where I connected with an amazing group of young female founders and sat on a panel with Vienna Sparks to share our journeys as student founders. Huge shoutout to Daniela Andrade, one of the organizers and the powerhouse behind WWV Labs, a game-changing resource for women stepping into entrepreneurship and venture capital. I also attended the Womenx Innovators and AI Innovators Community (AIC) panel on building a defensible startup. The energy in the room was incredible, and I met so many women pushing the boundaries of tech and innovation. Special thanks to Georgina A. for putting it all together—she’s just one of the many trailblazing technical founders in this space. All this to say: Progress is real, even if sometimes it’s hard to see. The seeds of change have been planted, and with every step forward, we get closer to a future where young girls won’t question their place as leaders—they’ll know it’s theirs for the taking. Mariana Matus, PhD, Jana Eggers, Maia Heymann Danielle Class, Catharina Lavers Mallet, Vienna Sparks, Brynne Norquist, Adela Jamal, Zehra Naqvi, Sophia Kianni, Shruti Venkat, Emily Herrera, Savannah Nimmo, Aidan Kittredge Lily Toto, Sara Enany, Isabella Mandis, Sahar Maisha, Rob May, Gabriela Torres Vives, Jessica Miles, Gabi Zijderveld, Logan Currie, Eric Paley

Last Thursday, I had the pleasure of attending the "Creating a Defensible AI Startup: Dinner & Panel" event, hosted by Womenx Innovators and the AI Innovators Community (AIC). It was incredibly inspiring to connect with brilliant female founders and hear their journeys, stories, and innovative ideas. A huge thank you to the amazing panelists—Mariana Matus, PhD, Jana Eggers, Maia Heymann, and Danielle Class—for sharing their invaluable insights on AI's transformative power. The discussions left me excited about the potential of AI to revolutionize education. I’m excited to explore how Generative AI can transform learning experiences and help bridge the global youth skills gap. Thank you, Maria Gorskikh, for inviting me to such an amazing event! I can’t wait to attend more of these inspiring events!

We had an amazing evening at?Creating a Defensible AI Startup: Dinner & Panel, hosted by Womenx Innovators and the AI Innovators Community (AIC). The event included 44 amazing women and allies who came together to talk about how to build the future! Key takeaways: ? Focus on building your business and excel in what you do best. ? Now, more than ever, is the ideal time to create, as the barriers to learning anything are very low. ? Many people will have different opinions about what you're doing - don't get distracted by the noise. Thank you to Rob May, Maria Gorskikh, and Madison Julia Miranda for helping organize the event! And to our amazing panelists and mentors—Mariana Matus, PhD, Jana Eggers, Maia Heymann, Danielle Class, and Catharina Lavers Mallet—thank you for sharing your insights and inspiring the next generation of women founders. We need more visibility around these amazing women who often don't get the recognition that they deserve. With more events like this on the horizon, we’re just getting started! If you’re interested in joining future discussions, make sure to join our WomenX Innovators community—we’d love to see you there: https://lnkd.in/e2yzNisi Lyvia Ray Chapman Mary Catherine (MC) Hanafee LaPlante Mary Pyrdol Rob May Mireia Torello, PhD Rajeshwari Subramanian Rachel Li Simran Seth Jihye Kim Erin Dawicki Aida Baradari Jeevi Scarozza Vivian Weigel Blair Wigney Nidhi Jadhav Marjan Majid #WomenInTech #AI #Innovation #Startup #Leadership #WomenInAI #BostonTech

What an unforgettable evening at?Creating a Defensible AI Startup: Dinner & Panel, hosted by Womenx Innovators and the AI Innovators Community (AIC). This gathering brought together a room full of passionate minds eager to explore the future of AI and how it’s shaping the startup ecosystem in exciting ways. Big shoutout to?Rob May, Georgina A.., and Madison Julia Miranda?for all the behind-the-scenes magic that made this night happen! And to our amazing panelists—Mariana Matus, PhD, Jana Eggers Maia Heymann,?and?Danielle Class—thank you for sharing your insights. Your perspectives on AI’s transformative power gave us a glimpse into the incredible future waiting for startups and innovators in this fast-moving world. With more events like this on the horizon, we’re just getting started! If you’re interested in joining future discussions, make sure to join our WomenX Innovators community—we’d love to see you there: https://lnkd.in/e2yzNisi

A huge thank you to Womenx Innovators and the AI Innovators Community (AIC) for hosting the "Creating a Defensible AI Startup: Dinner & Panel" event at Grill 23 & Bar. I will never get over how inspiring it is to be in a room surrounded by fellow womxn entrepreneurs. Thank you Georgina A., Maria Gorskikh, and Kristina Gomez for making this community a reality! Meeting accomplished, talented, smart women such as last night's panelists, Mariana Matus, PhD, Maia Heymann, Jana Eggers, and Danielle Class as well as the attendees is both empowering and educational. A special thanks to my table mates—I walked away with so much to think about.

??Just 3 days left until the event by Womenx Innovators and AI Innovators Community (AIC) "Creating a defensible AI startup: Dinner & Panel" event?? We're delighted to introduce our distinguished panelists! ? Mariana Matus, PhD - Founder/CEO of Biobot, pioneering wastewater epidemiology to transform public health monitoring ? ??Maia Heymann???Co-Founder and General Partner at ConvergeVC, and veteran venture capital professional ? Jana Eggers - CEO of Nara Logics, focused on developing high-quality AI tools for enterprise ? Danielle Class - Software Engineering Manager at Amazon, MIT graduate with expertise in AI/ML We can't wait to welcome you for an evening of inspiration, insights, and connections with the community shaping the future! Maria Gorskikh Madison Julia Miranda Lyvia Ray Chapman Mary Catherine (MC) Hanafee LaPlante Mary Pyrdol Rob May Mireia Torello, PhD Rajeshwari Subramanian Rachel Li Simran Seth Jihye Kim Erin Dawicki Aida Baradari Jeevi Scarozza Vivian Weigel Blair Wigney Nidhi Jadhav Marjan Majid #WomenInTech #AI #Innovation #Startup #Leadership #WomenInAI #BostonTech

Happy 3rd Birthday, Saplings! October is my month of reflection because so many of my life events happened in October. My wedding (1998), my burnout (2021), Saplings founded (2021), stepping down at Altaeros (2022). My October 2024 Refections are happy ones- * Hug your kids. They grow up too fast. My baby is a senior and we are experiencing many potential lasts, but I am so proud of raising 3 amazing, kind, intelligent, loving people. * I have figured out that I love challenges. Puzzles, people, product, engineering, crafting all challenge me and make me happier (when I can solve them ha!) * Being part of and building community fills me up.? I am so lucky to be part of Greentown Labs, Boston New Technology (BNT), Womenx Innovators, Innovate@BU, Derby Entrepreneurship Center at Tufts University (DEC), Cleantech Open Northeast / ACT, FORGE + others. * Supporting startups so that they work smarter, faster and have fun in the process is the best job ever! I am so grateful for the many companies that I have helped (over 50) and who will forever be part of the Saplings family. * Coaching others to help them through challenges, see their potential, build their confidence and accomplish growth is the most rewarding work. The positive impacts are life changing and I am so lucky to be part of it. * My network of friends and supporters are the best! They have celebrated every Saplings success and repeatedly tell me, “I am not surprised. I knew you could do it.” With friends who believe in me so fully, how can I not succeed? Since the first 2 years of birthday “gifts”? were so fun, I am bringing back the Birthday Hello. If you have 15 mins and want to “gift” me a hello, use this Google Meet link to find a time that works for you. https://lnkd.in/eiEs_HEx Fill me in on your life, work, maybe even your own reflections. (Or I will happily share what is going on at Saplings). I’d love to (re)connect and strengthen my friendships. Saplings Consulting #coaching #advising #startups

Womenx Innovators is hosting a private dinner in November for women entrepreneurs in AI, alongside Rob May and the AI Innovators Community (AIC). We're bringing together a select group of women founders who are building the next generation of AI startups. If you're one of them, this is your chance to join us for an exclusive, invite-only evening of conversation, networking, and inspiration. We will also be honored with 3 amazing panelists Mariana Matus, PhD, Maia Heymann, and Jana Eggers who will be talking about "How to build defensible AI startups". The event will take place on?November 7, 2024, from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM?at?Grill 23 & Bar?in Boston. It’s free, but space is limited, so apply by the end of this week to be considered. Register ?? https://lu.ma/pbbgjhy7 Can’t wait to see you there!