Springboard

According to Venture One, only 1.7% of the billions in venture capital investments made in 1997 had been invested in women-led businesses. Springboard — launched in 2000 by Amy Millman, Kay Koplovitz, Denise Brosseau, Cate Muther, Jim Robbins, Andrea Silbert, Debra Filtzer, Penny Pickett, Ginger Lew, Mary MacPherson, Hedy Ratner, Patty Abramson, Wendy Kanarek and Karen Bixby — set out to change that.  Springboard is a non-profit organization dedicated to accelerating women entrepreneurs’ access to the equity markets.  The organization recruits, educates, showcases, and supports women-led high-growth businesses as they seek venture capital and grow. 

What has Springboard accomplished in the last 15 years, you ask?  The results are remarkable.  599 women-led companies have participated in Springboard’s accelerator programs; raising $6.8 billion, creating tens of thousands of new jobs, and generating billions of dollars in annual revenues. 81% of Springboard companies are still in business as independent or merged entities, including 11 IPOs and many are the technology engines of publicly traded companies. 

Get more info at: sb.co