The women’s startup competition 2018 Project Entrepreneur (PE), hosted by UBS and Rent the Runway Foundation, announced the five winners who will receive $10,000 grants, mentorship, on-site training, and other benefits through an accelerator program later this year. The competition is part of Rent the Runways’ ongoing commitment to broaden the entrepreneurial landscape through the inclusion of more women.
Statistics bear out the need for such commitment. Despite women founding more businesses than ever before, only 3% of women owned businesses generate $500k or more in annual revenue. Women also account for less than 10% of high-growth firm founders.
Through the power of collaboration, UBS and Rent the Runway Foundation hosted a class of 200 women founders at recent PE sessions helping the women find ways to scale and refine their early-stage companies. Guidance was provided by successful business leaders and other startup founders.
The winners of the venture competition are:
- Christine Schindler, CEO and co-founder of PathSpot Technologies, defending customers and restaurants from food-borne illness threats.
- Aline Sara, CEO and co-founder of NaTakallam, connecting displaced people/refugees to remote translation and language teaching opportunities so they have an income.
- Stephanie Conduff, CEO and founder of Leche Lounge, empowering women through portable lactation suites, solving a legal mandate.
- Eva Sadej, CEO and co-founder of Floss Bar, offering convenient and affordable oral health services in major cities.
- Erin Janklow, CEO and founder of Entrada ESL, leveraging support and audio systems to empower service industry workers to learn English while on the job.
“This year’s Project Entrepreneur winners represent innovation in an incredibly diverse range of industries, from healthcare and dental care to helping refugees to a language learning tool and beyond,” said Jennifer Hyman, Project Entrepreneur co-founder and CEO and co-founder of Rent the Runway. “The talent showcased by each has the potential to completely disrupt their fields and we look forward to working side by side with them this summer at the Rent the Runway headquarters.”
UBS has now committed $5 million in grants to Project Entrepreneur that is now in its third year. Since its launch, Project Entrepreneur has trained over 1,600 early-stage startups founded by ethnically diverse women.
