New Data Highlights Top Concerns for Americans in 2019, and How Tech Should Step Up

Women Startup Challenge Co-hosted by Google, Aims to Solve Big Problems and Fund Innovation from Women Founders

News provided by

Feb 20, 2019, 08:44 ET

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Women Who Tech, one of the largest organizations that funds and showcases women-led ventures, announced today the return of the Women Startup Challenge to help fund and empower more women founders who are building products to address the toughest issues facing this world.

According to Women Who Tech's latest national poll, the top five most daunting issues concerning Americans today are:

1.    Healthcare
2.    Political instability and government accountability/transparency
3.    Immigration reform
4.    Environmental sustainability and climate change
5.    Economic opportunity

60 percent of respondents agree that tech is not being leveraged effectively to address these concerns.

"In our tech-driven economy, we're still tackling incredible obstacles that could be resolved by backing the right creative and innovative minds. We're on a mission to provide capital, resources, and mentoring to women-led startups who are fighting for the future and solving these big problems," said Allyson Kapin, founder of Women Who Tech. "Diversity has long been an issue in tech, and we're calling for accountability and action."

Launched in partnership with Craig Newmark, founder of craigslist and Craig Newmark Philanthropies, the Women Startup Challenge will showcase 10 of the best early stage, women-led startups who will pitch their companies at Google in NYC on May 29th, 2019 to some of the biggest investors, including:

Ellie Wheeler, Partner at Greycroft
Esther Dyson, Executive Founder of Wellville, Investor
Jen Wolf, Partner and COO of Initialized Capital
Jennifer Fielding, Managing Director of Techstars and Cofounder of The Fund
Nashilu Mouen-Makoua, Investor at First Round Capital
Nisha Dua, General Partner at BBG Ventures

Women Who Tech will be awarding a $50,000 cash grant, and pro bono services to the winning ventures. Startups will also participate in an investor mentoring day at Techstars.

"The tech world needs the perspective of more women founders if we're going to tackle some of the biggest challenges impacting us," said Newmark. "This means that a lot more than 2.2% of investor money needs to go to women-led startups, and we have an opportunity and an obligation to start setting the record straight, considering how studies show that tech companies led by women have a 35% ROI."

Applications for the Women Startup Challenge are open to tech startups with at least one woman founder or co-founder from the US, Puerto Rico, Canada, or Mexico. Criteria and submission details can be found on the Women Startup Challenge website at https://www.womenwhotech.com/women-startup-challenge/2019-nyc. Applications close March 28, 2019, at 11:59pm PT.

About Women Who Tech
Founded in 2008, Women Who Tech was founded to shake up a culture and economy that has made it exceedingly difficult for women to launch startups and raise capital, and is on a mission to close the funding gap. By showcasing women-led ventures through Women Who Tech's flagship Women Startup Challenges, the organization provides capital, mentoring, and other resources for women who are creating the most innovative tech companies to help scale their products.

It's one of the largest global programs to showcase and fund women-led tech startups, hosting thousands of women innovators across the world including New York, Silicon Valley, London (co-hosted by the Office of Mayor Sadiq Khan), and Paris (co-hosted by the Office of Mayor Anne Hidalgo).

Key accomplishments to date:

84% of women-led startups in the program received investment funding.
$28M+ in funding invested in women-led startups.
81% of finalists are still successfully in business to date, supported by the programs' educational and fiscal resources.
Startup partnerships secured with Amazon, Sony, Snap, Target, Microsoft, Intel, Mercedes Benz, Pepsi, Nike, and more.

Women Who Tech has been supported by Craig Newmark, founder of craigslist and Craig Newmark Philanthropies, Google, The Pineapple Fund, investors Fred and Joanne Wilson, LinkedIn, London's Office of the Mayor, Mozilla, Amazon, Microsoft, IBM, Clifford Chance, Rad Campaign, Invisu, and more.

Survey Methodology
In partnership with analytic research firm Lincoln Park Strategies, Women Who Tech polled 1,000 Americans aged 18+ on the issues they are most concerned about in 2019, and whether or not they believe that technology is doing enough to solve these issues. 48 percent of respondents identified as male, and 52 percent identified as female.

About Craig Newmark Philanthropies
Craig Newmark Philanthropies was created by craigslist founder Craig Newmark to support and connect people and drive broad civic engagement. The organization works to advance people and grassroots organizations that are getting stuff done in areas that include trustworthy journalism, voter protection, gender diversity in technology, and veterans and military families. For more information, please visit: CraigNewmarkPhilanthropies.org.

Media Contacts
For Women Who Tech:
Allyson Kapin
[email protected]
240-475-3362

SOURCE Women Who Tech