ELEVATOR PITCH
Our goal is to provide women entrepreneurs access to knowledge, collaboration, and capital so that they may fulfill their greatest business aspirations.
OUR STORY
The woman entrepreneur is the center of our story. We know that when women succeed, everyone succeeds. Families prosper. Communities grow. We all win. Founded in 2014, Women@Austin was created after several of Austin’s most experienced female entrepreneurs and executives came together to proactively increase the ratio in women-led and founded Austin businesses. Their goal was to make Austin the most accessible, nurturing place for women-led businesses in the country.
Jessica Gaffney, CEO & Executive Director
Whether it’s battling the funding gap (of the $100 billion in venture funding that goes to entrepreneurs in America, less than 3% goes to women founders) – or encouraging resilience, self-confidence, and conviction, Women@Austin supports women entrepreneurs through a variety of resources.
Women@Austin builds a foundation of knowledge for women through ideas, expertise and resources, and assists their trajectory of business growth with access to effective programming. Women@Austin’s programming is varied and includes roundtables, workshops, and networking dinners with potential funders. These efforts go hand-in-hand with access to human and financial capital. By making financial capital more accessible through connections to financing sources or connecting them with co-founders, executives, and specialists, Women@Austin is a catalytic accelerant for women entrepreneurs. None of this is possible without collaboration and community. The Women@Austin ecosystem provides opportunity and connection fostering support and cultivating transformational ideas. We advance women entrepreneurs through the power and wisdom of the network.
The fundamental tenet of Women@Austin is to create a sense of belonging, regardless of affluence, race or success level. Our networks are more brilliant through diversity and inclusivity. The moment is now for all women to own their power. Women@Austin empowers women to be remarkable catalysts and contributors to their families, communities and the broader economy. We believe in a ripple effect, where investing in women delivers progress for all.
Women@Austin is helmed by CEO & Executive Director Jessica Gaffney, who brings years of experience as an entrepreneur and leader in both the for-profit & non-profit space. In the true spirit of collaboration, Jessica is working closely with the founding steering committee and Women@Austin founder, Jan Ryan to take Women@ Austin to the next level. Women@Austin is an initiative of Notley. The Notley team creates and supports ecosystems of knowledge, capital and collaboration to enable purpose-driven people and organizations to scale impact and change the world.
