Posts

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

, , ,

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

/by

Mia Champion: Emerging Trends In Cloud Computing

Cloud computing not only revolutionized the world around me, but also my life journey.  I first started using cloud computing resources as a Principal Scientist in Cancer Research.  The freedom and ability to analyze any amount of data at a reasonable cost and within a relatively short time-frames not only empowered me as a scientist, but also enabled me to start my own company as an entrepreneur.  At the time, I attended a cloud computing conference where in his keynote address, Andy Jassy (CEO of Amazon Web Services) expressed to the audience how using cloud computing resources can provide users with the power to “create your own destiny”.  As I sat there in the audience, I felt the impact of those words on so many levels. 

I believe that cloud computing provides access to the latest technological advances and in doing so, serves to empower any innovator from anywhere in the world to create freely without the burdens of societal suppressions due to prejudice and economic inequality.  For individuals who have historically been underrepresented in Science & Technology, this is certainly life changing. Cloud computing enables more inclusive economies providing equal opportunity to underrepresented individuals, and also provides opportunities for leadership so that those same individuals are now contributing to subsequent economic development.

I am passionate about empowering women to be economically and intellectually free to  “create their own destinies” and am excited to participate on a panel discussing the emerging trends in cloud computing and how these technological advances might inspire and empower women to take a bold new path of their choosing.  The Women in Cloud Summit 2020 is about taking action. So, join me and the other panelists and take this opportunity to discuss emerging technological trends, share ideas, and inspire each other to create a better future where women flourish as equal innovators and technology leaders.   Purchase tickets to the summit today, and be a part of the change.

To get more information visit the summit website, and don’t forget to apply the 20% discount code: JOINME@WIC

See you there! 

Take action by joining our online network to get engaged today!

/by

Mila Dorosh: Why Coaching Could Be An Ultimate Action Step For You

We all have goals we want to reach, challenges we’re striving to overcome, and times when we feel stuck. Partnering with a coach can set you on a path to greater personal and professional fulfillment. What better way to change the narrative and create economic access for women in the cloud economy?

As a certified coach, I am a member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF), the world’s largest organization of professionally trained coaches that seeks to advance the art, science and practice of coaching. We’re excited to connect with Women in Cloud, a community of powerful technology industry leaders, policy makers, and entrepreneurs who are on a road to ensure gender parity in the tech industry and create $1 billion in economic access for women by 2030. 

I want to help Women in Cloud members to experience the benefits of coaching, which can help unleash your potential, surpass your limits, and change your life. We are bringing local, expert coaches to Women in Cloud Summit 2020 to demonstrate the transformational value of coaching, a process that often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity, and leadership. WIC is proud to be action-oriented, and coaching is the perfect blend of exploration and action. We look forward to extending the tool of coaching to those who can really benefit from it.

Take the ultimate action step toward your goals and sign up for a 30-minute coaching session on-site while at the Summit. The cost is included with your ticket, although sessions are limited so please sign up in advance through the event application to reserve your spot. If you’d like to find a coach after the event, try theCredentialed Coach Finder, a free searchable directory with listings for thousands of qualified ICF Credentialed Coaches worldwide.

Purchase tickets to attend Women in Cloud Summit and to get more information visit the summit website, and don’t forget to apply the 20% discount code: JOINME@WIC

See you there! Take action by joining our online network to get engaged today!

/by

Mel McSherry: Fast Path To Profit And Freedom

Technology is a brutal industry and what may be a trend today is no longer essential tomorrow. My experience as a business development coach has made me realize that I have the potential to guide and help women in the technology industry. I want to support women in tech and show them how to prioritize their time and their profit avenues correctly, so they can create the business and life they intend. 

My association with Women in Cloud is to ensure my knowledge and experience in the field help as many women as possible. As a community, Women in Cloud will allow me to teach women in tech to have an action plan created around their wants as well as how to create/communicate boundaries and take charge of their time, energy, and focus.

The Women in Cloud Summit 2020 has given me an opportunity to share my life learning with the entire community. As a speaker, my topic will revolve around how women can identify what they want, where their time is spent, how to claim that time back as well as how to prioritize it, so they are consistently taking steps to build their business.

Finding a community of like-minded, goal-focused women sets a strong standard for business as we each develop and grow. A community like Women in Cloud not only encourages our own expansion, it establishes a strong foundation to build off of while continuously in pursuit of our own greatness. 

Based on statistics gathered by Maddie Shepherd through Fundera, there are “12.3 million female owned businesses in the U.S,” making over 40% of businesses woman-owned. This statistic goes deeper than the numbers. It intrinsically shows how important it is for women to have equal opportunities within business, and by extension know how to properly prioritize their profits and time to create the lifestyles we as women deserve. 

Diving into prioritizing our time effectively comes down to 5 main parts:

  • Getting crystal clear on what you want
  • Taming the time that you have
  • Prioritizing your tasks
  • Customizing to your calendar
  • ACTION

Each of these parts has its own place within business, and when you understand how to master each one – hitting your next goal or taking the next step comes easily. 

Broken down, the steps look like this: 

  1. Write down, and put it somewhere visible, what you want to accomplish in the next 6 months.
  2. Create boundaries that solidify the time that you have: ex. Create office hours, turn off notifications, etc.
  3. Look at all the tasks on your to do list: take off ALL PERSONAL TASKS and prioritize the business ones to that will help you get to those 6 month goals step by step.
  4. Every day, look at the time you have and ask yourself: “How would I like to fill this time?” and assign the tasks that fit in the time you have that are aligned with what YOU want.
  5. Put this routine into action every single day and you will always be profitable in your business: mentally, emotionally as well as financially. 

There’s nothing more valuable than having a strong, supportive group of women, who are all aiming for their own vision of greatness – especially when you can find them all in an incredible group like Women in Cloud. 

If you’d like to learn more about prioritizing your profits in a way to create the money and the life you desire in your own unique way, feel free to reach out through purchase tickets today and come join us in our mission. You can also connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram @mel_mcsherry.

To get more information visit the summit website, and don’t forget to apply the 20% discount code: JOINME@WIC

See you there! 

Take action by joining our online network to get engaged today!

/by

Shari Burk: Inclusive Diversity Is A Wise Business Strategy For The Courageous

One of our company’s core values is ‘belonging’, because it fosters exceptional organizations and individuals. Our collective purpose is to help every tribe know their battle cry. This means knowing what makes your organization unique, how you’re making the world a better place, where you’re going, and what your strategy will be to effectively get you there. Women in Cloud has created a fabulous opportunity to express both. It is a natural fit for us.

Statistics show that women-led companies tend to outperform male-dominated ones, promoting women as a rational choice for a stronger economy. I’m passionate about creating a stronger economy, which is why I’m partnering with more women in technology and the men who support them through Women in Cloud.

This January, at the Women in Cloud Summit 2020, I have been invited as a speaker to talk about ‘How to Support Female Founders.’ I am excited and thrilled to make this presentation. I wanted to share some of the key takeaways the audience can expect from my talk, which are:

  • We must master your own biases.
  • The lack of inclusive diversity has been a strong undercurrent for many centuries, rooting it out is not for the faint of heart.
  • We must be courageous and honest with ourselves about our own shortcomings. If we pretend they’re not there — if we hide our biases from ourselves — if they go unexposed and are simply covered over, those shortcomings will continue to cloud our judgment and accidentally spill into behavior. We will unknowingly deny someone access or underestimate them.

I believe women are one of the crucial elements that will ensure a functional and sustainable economy in the future. Economic inclusion means that anyone who’s willing to work hard enough can better their lives and the lives of others. Ideally, no one will be held back by the spoken or unspoken biases of those who control access and opportunity. Collective action can be powerful. I challenge the courageous to master personal bias first, which will continue to evolve the culture in significant ways.

All this means my organization has a shot at making the world a better place even though it was founded by a woman, which traditionally would mean lack of access to male-dominated decision-makers. Our breakthrough software makes strategic planning and execution simple, rapid, and without ambiguity that cause frustration and waste. Imagine if the world lost this solution. It would mean we would all continue to lose billions of dollars and hours to traditional strategic planning methods.

The opportunity given to me by WIC is what I intend to help other women achieve. Purchase tickets today, come join me and the Women in Cloud in this journey and unlock your chance to make the best out of an opportunity of a lifetime. 

To get more information visit the summit website, and don’t forget to apply the 20% discount code: JOINME@WIC

See you there! 

Take action by joining our online network to get engaged today!

/by