Female Startup Founders

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Even though there are many highly qualified talented and ambitious ladies out there, still the startup scene suffers from a lack of female CEOs. But one thing is for sure: It will not always stay like this!

Last year I worked in two startups in the German city of Munich, and it was the first serious job experience of my (still very young) career. While very different from each other – one in the fashion field and the second one in entertainment and social – they both contributed in my development as a professional. I acquired skills that no university could have thought me any better, especially since one of the best and worst thing of startups is that you have to get off your chair and get shit done. Former part-timer for an illustrative stand about recycling for second graders and wasted BA student, I had no idea what that meant.

My office was situated in an incubator, elbow to elbow with several other startups. I remember how I almost never met a single woman while going to the designated restroom on a break, apart from the girlfriends of some CEO. Maybe my restroom breaks were peculiar, maybe there was a secret toilet I knew nothing about; but the question was there: where were the girls?

In Munich, one of the hotspots for the growth of startups and young companies, it was surprising how the whole business had a particularly masculine flavor. Networking could at times reach a slight machism and glances from male colleagues from other offices were never entirely missing. Thinking back to my German experience pushed me to make some research concerning badass female CEOs – most of whom, however, encountered the traditional female-in-the-workforce problems while trying to get their funding. Sweet.

If you thought startups were an all-male kind of thing, think again. Here is a brief list of female startup founders.

Jocelyn Leavitt and Samantha John, Hopscotch

These two ladies are co-founders of my favorite startup of the list. Hopscotch is the platform that teaches children how to code, with a captivating design and all the fun of learning the profession of the future.

Carly Zakin and Danielle Weisberg, TheSkimm

Half way between tech and news, TheSkimm is a newsletter with all the important and desired news of the day which is comfortably delivered to your mailbox, always featuring fresh editorial content.

Joanna Strober and Thea Runyan, Kurbo

Strober and Runyan created an app which helps and promotes weight loss among the young ones. Safety is the keyword, and instructions are easy and based on the traffic-light system (green for what you can eat, red for what is bad for you and so on).

Kathryn Minshew, CEO and co-founder of The Muse

The Muse is a platform dedicated to both job search and career advice, aimed to make the most out of the user’s skills. It also offers online classes for job searchers to prepare you for your next career opportunity.

Danielle Weinblatt, Take The Interview

This startup is a new and efficient platform aimed at improving the hiring experience through a completely unique interview process.

Emily Brooke, Blaze

Created for safety’s sake, Blaze is all about bike lights and making bike travel better. Innovative technology and a green philosophy is at the base of this very special startup.

 

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