Fierce Foundry

Addressing the women's health gap isn't just about improving lives—it's also a $1 trillion opportunity by 2040. By supporting FemTech founders through our venture studio, we're not only fostering innovation but also contributing to global economic growth while advancing health equity. Let's make an impact together. Kweilin Ellingrud, Lucy Perez, Anouk Petersen, Valentina Sartori, and McKinsey & Company Read full article here: https://lnkd.in/gfP-2Vsa #FierceFoundry #WomenInTech #HealthEquity #FemTech #McKinsey

Join us on November 14th for our Female Founders & Funders event with Perkins Coie, where we'll dive into "Legal Do's and Don'ts" for startups! 📚 This is your chance to get all your legal questions answered and connect with fellow founders and funders. Don't miss out on expert insights and valuable networking opportunities! 💼💡 RSVP now before it's too late! Register here: https://lu.ma/xw35mvq0

We're hiring two interns - Operations and Community! This is a great opportunity to work with an amazing team. Please share and have candidates send an email to melissa@thefiercefoundry.com (Note: do not DM, I am very behind on responding there!).

The Numbers Don’t Lie. The gender gap in venture capital and Femtech funding is not changing—and we need to do more than talk about it. From female founders receiving only a small slice of the VC pie to Femtech's potential being overlooked, these stats highlight the challenges women face in the startup world. But we see the opportunity for change. It’s time to invest in innovation. It’s time to close the gender gap. It’s time to INVEST IN WOMEN. Contribute today to our Wefunder and join us on this journey. https://lnkd.in/drPwNKwz

Grab your lunch and join us today at 12 ET for an info session! Hear about our mission to empower women-led startups and close the gender funding gap. Investors, Founders, and Partners are all welcome! Come learn how you can be a part of our journey. RSVP Here: https://lnkd.in/gef-rkr4

Last week we hit a major milestone. Fierce Foundry "officially" turned one year old. On one hand, it seems impossible - we just got started! And on the other, well - we’ve done so much. We are celebrating. We are proud. Because it's with all "team" and zero budget that we've accomplished the following: * Met with over brilliant 100 partners * Interviewed over 50 potential Foundry Founders * Explored over 80 FemTech company ideas * Held two all-female hackathons (FemTech) * Hosted five Female Founder and Funder Networking Events * 13 Press Features * Raised $150,000 in initial operating capital * Printed and distributed over 500 shirts, bags, buttons and magnets (Thank you James Wallace Jr. and Lina Scroggins) Today we are at a critical moment. We are ready to launch with three companies. We need your help! Please share this post, or contribute to our WeFunder with as little as $100 https://lnkd.in/expm4vyN. Thank you to the incredible team of individuals who have volunteered their time and passion. It would be impossible to accomplish as much as we have without your support: Elizabeth Prenger, Laura Sheaffer Maiurano, Danika McVarish, Karen Li, Katie Dunn, Katie Schuele, Erin Rose, Danelle DiLibero, Lydia Roos, PhD, Oleg Petrenko, Bari Epstein, Lauren Banyar Reich, Leslee Cohen, Trevor Mason, Theresa Neil, and our hardworking interns Abigail Glezer, DeJa Crawford and Meher Jain.

Have legal questions for your startup? Kickstart your morning on November 14th with our Female Founders & Funders Breakfast, co-hosted with Perkins Coie: "Legal Do's and Don'ts." Gain essential legal tips for startups, engage in dynamic discussions with innovators in FemTech and digital health and build exceptional connections. Reserve your spot today! Register Here: https://lu.ma/xw35mvq0 Sonia R. Farber, Elizabeth Wilson, Yashreeka Huq

You’ve heard us say “Invest in Women,” but what does that truly mean? When you invest in Fierce Foundry, you’re fueling a movement. You’re investing in a future where women-led startups have the support they need to succeed. A future where innovation in femtech is driven by diversity and purpose. Fierce Foundry is determined to see our founders succeed and go on to invest in more women. With your Wefunder contribution, this vision becomes a reality. Together, we can create lasting change and build a brighter future for ALL women. Contribute here: https://lnkd.in/drPwNKwz

What an amazing weekend in Northwest Arkansas! Melissa Wallace and Elizabeth Prenger kicked off at the Startup Crawl in Fayetteville, meeting an impressive mix of founders and investors. Thank you to Startup Junkie for an incredible evening! On Saturday, we hosted our second FemHack, where talented female leaders—engineers, designers, marketers, and business pros—developed innovative prototypes and investor-ready business plans in under 48 hours! Congrats to the team that rallied around D.O.V.E. and built a functioning AI Chat for caregivers. Thank you to our judges for your participating and careful attention to the presentation and of course for your actionable feedback to our participants. We wrapped up with a party to celebrate all the talent and network in Bentonville at First National Bank of NWA . We’re excited to see what comes next! A HUGE thank you to our Incredible supporters! Hackathon Participants: Karen Kilroy, Alison Nail-Malone, ACC, SHRM-CP, Della, Isabella Roberts, Shriya Agarwal, and Laura Brown-Nicholson Happy Hour Participants: Lina Scroggins, Deme Yuan, Kate Schaffer, Jordan Franklin, Meredith Lowry, Paige Jernigan Sponsors: SURGE Arkansas (Gold), EMPOWER Accelerator (Bronze), Arkansas Capital Corporation (Bronze), Arkansas Economic Development Commission (Prize), Kitestring Technical Services (Prize), Wright Lindsey Jennings (Prize), The Collaborative (Event Space), First National Bank of NWA (Happy Hour/Wine) Judges: Kate Lynn, Logan McLain, Lina Scroggins, Tiffany Benitez- CSM, SAFe, ITIL, and Tiffany Henry

Catch this week's episode of the Biz/Dev Podcast featuring Melissa Wallace and Elizabeth Prenger as they sat down with David Baxter and Gary Voigt to discuss how they're redefining venture studios with a female-driven focus. In this episode, they talk about why women-led businesses statistically outperform and how we’re working to reshape the investment landscape by betting on female founders. Curious about how we’re driving change? Tune in to the full conversation here: https://lnkd.in/eBRefmS9 Want to be part of the change? Check out our Wefunder: https://lnkd.in/drPwNKwz #BizDevPodcast #FierceFoundry #InvestinWomen #VentureStudios #FemaleFounders #BizDev