Ready. Set. Accelerate!: Announcing the 5.0 Cohort of the WiC Microsoft Cloud Accelerator

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The Women in Cloud team is immensely happy to announce Cohort 5.0 after four successful cohorts which is designed to give access for female technology founders to win enterprise cloud opportunities. We launched the 5.0 cohort on Feb 26, 2021 with 17 companies from 4 countries. Lets welcome them to the WiC Cohort of Successful Female Tech Founders.

Women In Cloud’s Microsoft Cloud Accelerator is designed as an immersive 6-month program to assist women-led tech companies to build stronger together co-sell plan with Microsoft and their distribution channels . This program is expertly designed to help women tech entrepreneurs win enterprise opportunities, get access to Azure credits, an advisor community, and a global stage to showcase your business.

The 5.0 Cohort Immersive Kickoff session held on on Friday, February 26, 2020. The first session featured curated speakers, Chaitra Vedullapalli, Co-Founder and President of WiC; Kim Smith, Global VP, Cloud Innovation Services of IBM; Brea Starmer, Founder/President, Executive Consultant, Lions + Tigers, Digital Enterprise, IT & Digital of Boeing; Ellen Feaheny, Founder & CEO of AlohaCloud Digital Networks; Martha Montoya, CEO of agTools, Inc.; and Patti Dobrowolski, CEO & Creative Activator of Up Your Creative Genius. The speakers consisted of founders, industry leaders and previous cohort entrepreneurs who set the tone for the new class about the current industry landscape, how to vision their cloud businesses, along with deliverables and takeaways by the end of 6 months. 

This kickoff focused on helping founders develop their future vision and this experience was led by with Patti Dobrowolski, 3 Times TEDx speaker and inspired the founders to design their co-sell plan.

Here is output of what a vision of equitable equity and access looks like for women founders.

Women In Cloud Accelerator

The cohort 5.0 will be digital accelerator with built in benefits including azure credits, listing on marketplaces, participating in global UN focused campaigns, bi-weekly office hours, monthly live chats with industry leaders, and continued access to industry stages, has elevated our programming to an unmatched scale.

Going digital has let us expand our horizon and open this program to people from around the world rather than just a region. Cohort 5.0 boasts a diverse participation of companies from the United States, Canada, India and United Kingdom.
This year’s WiC Microsoft Cloud Accelerator is more than just an effort to make economic contributions to the system by empowering entrepreneurs. It is about embracing the new normal and moving forward with a sense of community. It is about adopting self-empowerment and finding comfort in knowing where to turn for support with a community at your side. Most importantly, it is about collective growth and learning.

Presenting the Women in Cloud Microsoft Cloud Accelerator Cohort 5.0:

  • Jacqueline G Schafer, Clearbrief
  • Pradnya Desh, Advocat Technologies
  • Rachel Hankerson, International PROOF Systems, LLC
  • Sonal Malavia, Cloud 9 Infosystems
  • Sinmi Adeoye-Esene, Daniola Corporation
  • Cheryl Ingram, Inclusology
  • Sherisse Hawkins, PageDip
  • Sophia Stone, Indie Tech Ltd.
  • Sanjana Govil, Unseen Insight
  • Steph Locke, Nightingale HQ
  • Padma Subramanian, Fyrii.ai
  • Kerry Schrader, Mixtroz,LLC
  • Agnes Lan, Kinderdrop Inc.
  • Sonali Jha, Cunomial Technologies Private Limited
  • Bhavya Aggarwal, zipBoard Tech

This year, Global Affairs Canada underwrote 50% of the accelerator fees for two Canadian companies that were approved to participate in the 5.0 cohort. Their previous generous support has allowed 8 of our 4.0 entrepreneurs to have the opportunity to scale their businesses to become co-sell and co-market ready with enterprise partners.

Economic Access is the tide that lifts all boats. Together we rise.

Interested in joining the 6.0 cohort? Applications are open now: Click here to learn more

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Summit 2021: Real People. Collective Power.

“Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.” – Helen Keller

The Women in Cloud Digital Summit 2021 displayed Collective Power, and let the world know that we are stronger together! 

The first ever Digital Summit hosted online for a worldwide audience was a huge success and we surpassed all expectations. Despite the health and social crisis of this past year, Women in Cloud as a network grew stronger and reached new heights that contributed to economic development in the tech industry. Where many held back, we accelerated forward. 

The Women in Cloud Community is proud and elated to share the following Summit accomplishments. 

  • Over 2500+ leaders attended, representing over 19 countries, 250 female-led companies, and growing, our highest engagement ever
  • 700+ volunteers organized 115 sessions for everyone to participate in, all done in 1 dynamic virtual experience
  • We made over 1.5 million impressions on social media alone in just two weeks
  • Over 60 youth leaders had the opportunity to join the STEM mentorship program
  • Our own WiC Cohort members saw 25-500% growth in their businesses
  • Over 87 companies pledging to create economic access for women in the tech industry
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The success of this year’s event is a reminder that our one goal matters.

We are not just another conference of innovative ideas, we’re a transformative community of powerful voices that creates collective access to all aspiring leaders and entrepreneurs to become empowered change makers that make an inclusive economic impact.

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Furthermore, the Women in Cloud Summit 2021 hosted extraordinary sessions and powertalks. Some of them are listed below for your access;

  1. Fireside Chat with Former Prime Minister Rt Honorable Kim Campbell & Gavriella Schuster Corporate Vice President of Microsoft
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  1. Senator Patty Kuderer Message to women all around the world
  2. An empowering welcome by Gretchen O’Hara
  3. A sneak peek into the STEM based Youth Mentorship
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  1. UN Goals 2030: Global Dialogue – A conversation led by global leaders focussing on women’s role in accomplishing UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. 

Furthermore, you can access the 110 Power Talks & Live Sessions here.

Another major highlight at the Women in Cloud Digital Summit 2021 was the launch of Women in Cloud Solution Marketplace – a platform designed for companies to get access to solutions developed by women tech entrepreneurs. The platform currently hosts over 30 enterprise ready solutions. 

The year 2020 disrupted and delayed normalcy as we knew it. However, despite the global health crisis and regional social crisises the world went through, we witnessed our community and the technology industry come together to focus on building a transformative, and sustainable future. While it was hard, we tried honour all the teaching the year 2020 had for us. Click here access the Women in Cloud Memorabilia called Mic On. Camera On! 

At the Women in Cloud Community, we are looking forward to an exciting year ahead, with our key focus on the following areas; 

  • Strategic Partnerships with Fortune 1000 Companies: We will be investing in Strategic Partnerships make their supplier network diverse; and secure invitations for female tech founders to be part of the digital transformation initiatives. 
  • Business Development: To further focus on opportunity creation, we aspire to drive 8000 Business Development Connections through community events and activations.
  • Research: Additionally, we will commission research to build strategic coalitions with cross-sector leaders to develop policies around AI Ethics and Supplier Diversity.

What’s Next?

  • WIC is hosting an International Women’s Day event on 11 and 12 March, to connect and create infinite access for each other. Book your spot!
  • Seeking Cloud Jobs? Submit their candidate profile by 1 March, 2021 and get invited to meet potential recruiters. 

Finally, “Collaborate. Connect. Transform Yourself. Because infinite opportunities are created when you are dedicated to serving people daily. We are a community of collective power and infinite access.”

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Be part of changing the narrative at WiC International Women’s Day Celebration 2021

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Women In Cloud is proud to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 11-12, 2021 with a virtual event experience to challenge economic exclusion. This will be hosted in the REMO networking platform. 

Book your Spot Today:

  • Thursday, March 11, 2021 at 3 – 5pm PST: Get Access to #CloudJobs Recruitment Lounge. It is open and free for all to participate. Register & Learn more at: https://wicxiwd2021-cloudjobs.eventbrite.com 
  • Friday, March 12, 2021 at 10am – 3pm PST: Get Connected with Industry Leaders & learn world class pitching skills. Register & Learn more at: https://wicxiwd2021.eventbrite.com/ (10% off Code: WIC10)

Summit Schedule:

Three opportunities:

  1. Sponsor a corporate pass : Purchase Women in Cloud Corporate Pass Package for $549 today, surprise 5 of your employees with access and be part of our #ChooseToChallenge social campaign
  2. Become an advisor/mentor to facilitate a mentoring table and meet cloud entrepreneurs. Complete your profile
  3. Submit Your resume & meet your future employers: https://womenincloud.submittable.com/submit/185452/cloudjobs-recruitment-lounge-candidate-profiles (plus get free ticket to March12 celebrations)

This event is global, but space is limited so please register ASAP!

REGISTER HERE (10% off Code: WIC10)

We hope to see you there!

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Supporting Women Entrepreneurs in 2021!

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According to Crunchbase data, global venture funding to female-founded companies plummeted in 2020. There’s no one factor at cause here, but COVID has disproportionately impacted women. McKinsey and Lean In’s Women in the Workplace 2020 report explains that child or elderly family care obligations will force as many as two million women to leave the workplace as the result of the pandemic. One final jaw-dropping stat: Business Insider recently reported that hundreds of startups go public every year, but only 20 are founded and led by women. That’s right, only 20 companies since the founding of the New York Stock exchange in 1817 were founded and led by women. Boston Consulting Group analysis of MassChallenge data explained what we’re leaving on the table in ignoring women’s entrepreneurial leadership: if women and men participated equally as entrepreneurs—and had equal access to capital, mentorship, and customer access—the global economy would rise from $2.5 trillion to $5 trillion. 

The lack of support for women entrepreneurs is clear, and it’s part of the reason why I joined Women in Cloud as an Advisory Board member. Women in Cloud is thinking about the full lifecycle of business success—from coaching women entrepreneurs in the Microsoft Cloud Accelerator to partnering with forward-thinking politicians like Washington State Senator Patty Kuderer in developing legislation to provide more equal opportunity to women entrepreneurs. 

Of course, while we can all influence our representatives to prioritize support of women entrepreneurs, and tout these important stats, there’s more direct action that we can take as well:

#1 – Do the research – Learn about the local businesses in your neighborhood that are founded by women, and tap into communities supporting women entrepreneurs. Take inventory of the products and services that you’re using daily and look into the companies behind the brands. How could you get more intentional about supporting a representative population?

#2 – Understand your sphere of influence – Write down all the ways that you might better support female founders. Maybe it’s buying products or services that they offer, but it could also mean facilitating an introduction to an investor, sharing social media posts to promote their business, or offering an endorsement to feature on their site or in a Yelp review.

#3 – Invest in female founders – This note is specifically for the institutional and angel investors out there. If you have access to capital, investing in women is likely to return a higher ROI. Boston Consulting Group and MassChallenge published research in 2018 to demonstrate why women-owned startups are a better bet. Despite receiving significantly less early-stage capital, women ultimately deliver higher revenue.

When it comes to realizing greater equality in entrepreneurship, each and every one of us is responsible for pushing for the change we wish to see—whether that means voting with your dollars or prioritizing your time to support women entrepreneurs. Global change will require the partnership of policymakers and corporations, but you can have a direct impact on a women entrepreneur’s business trajectory today. 

Interested in learning more about this topic? Join me January 28-30 at the Women in Cloud Digital Summit 2021 and be a part of the movement. Book your spot today with a 15% discount, and get on board to witness the collective power of women in the technology industry from around the world.

Ticket secured? I highly recommend prioritizing the following sessions:

  1. Welcome Remarks featuring The Right Honourable Kim Campbell, Canada’s first woman Prime Minister
  2. The #CloudJobs Recruitment Lounge
  3. The Black Founders Circle
  4. #RockYourPitch – a session on personal brand architecture
  5. #CloudMentorshipCircle – a session with cloud industry leaders
  6. Youth Mentorship Circles focused on STEM topics
  7. A digital scavenger hunt to network close out the summit

Whether or not you can attend the summit, I appreciate any amplification of the opportunity to friends and colleagues. And to keep the conversation going, I recommend joining the Women in Cloud Digital Network, where you’ll meet incredible women entrepreneurs, corporate cloud leaders, and supporters of greater gender equity in the cloud business.

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