Are the Decks Stacked Against Women Startups? Twelve Women-led Startup Finalists Chosen for Women Startup Challenge Pitch Competition, Aim to Disrupt Startup World

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Jun 11, 2015, 07:46 ET

WASHINGTON, June 11, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Women Startup Challenge, a first-of-its-kind crowdfunding and pitch competition organized to help fund and showcase women-led tech startups, announced the results of its second round with twelve ventures selected to do a pitch to tech industry investors on June 30. The live showcase will be held in Washington, D.C. at General Assembly/1776 on June 30.

The twelve finalists will pitch their innovative and disruptive ventures that are solving problems for people, businesses, and the planet to a panel of investors. One startup will walk away with $50,000 in cash. Other prizes include a one-on-one consult with a partner from 500 Startups, pro-bono legal services, and other startup-friendly services.

The twelve finalists include Amplify Loud; Fam-ess; GeoHealth; Kicker; LGBTQutie; MYOLO; On Second Thought; PeerSpring; Primary Book Club; Vijilent; Virtue.Us; and Zidisha: P2P Microlending Without Borders.

The twelve were chosen by a panel of judges comprised of investors from the 30 qualifying startups which raised the most money during the first round of the Challenge, which ran from April 29 to May 29. Every Challenge participant used the crowdfunding platform CrowdRise, and in total more than $315,000 was raised by participating ventures.

"Women-led tech companies have been shown to produce higher ROI and revenue, yet only seven percent of investor money goes to women-led startups," said Allyson Kapin, Women Who Tech founder and chief executive. "Our goal is to help crush these stats and help women-led startups raise more capital to scale their startups."

"Helping people build businesses should be about investing in women the same as men. That's only fair, and it's how we'll find the best startups with the potential to change the world," said Craig Newmark, who sits on the Women Who Tech advisory board.

Women Who Tech also produced an infographic that highlights the latest data about women-led startups at http://www.womenwhotech.com/startupinfographic

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Source: Women Who Tech

SOURCE Women Who Tech