dispatches from the new world of work

Call to Women Entrepreneurs

We got word of an extremely WOW! opportunity: Springboard Enterprises Venture Forum. Women entrepreneurs have until June 24th to apply for a chance to join a six-month program aimed at getting them ready to apply for venture funding. The culmination of the experience is a Venture Forum on September 28th, where the participants will present their business plans to a panel of influential venture, angel, private, and corporate investors in the Midwest. Co-sponsored by Northwestern University's Center for Women Entrepreneurs in Technology, the program will be held on the Northwestern campus and targets mid-western women-led businesses, though it is not restricted to them. Read more about it at Inc. magazine online, apply online at springboardenterprises.org, or contact Kirsten Osolind at re:invention.

Cathy Mosca posted this on 05/20/05.

Comments

I like a lot these type of iniciatives especially targeted to women. It is already time for it. Don't you find quite boring visiting organizations where there are mostly men all around? I DO and I honestly believe there is time for re-invention and re-evolution on this aspect.

Thank you Cathy for the post! No doubt I will be visiting the site.

Posted by Omara at May 21, 2005 12:36 PM

I am glad this opportunity in not only restricted to women. I do not think it fair to segment society. I think anyone with spunk should have the chance to make it whether you are applying to college or starting a business. I have a fundamental problem with quota systems because they tend to punish those who have worked harder. For example, many colleges when taking grades and SATs into consideration need to know a personâ€™s ethnicity and gender. What this amounts to generally is that if you are of Asian decent you have to work twice as hard as your white contemporaries and three times as hard as your black contemporaries. What if you are black and brilliant? Everyone will assume you have gotten an easy ride! That would infuriate me. By their very nature quota systems encourage the very discrimination they were intended to eliminate.

I think access to capital should be based only on the commercial viability of an idea having nothing to do with gender, color, creed or economic background.

Posted by Cassandra Helm at May 22, 2005 5:31 AM