Looking For Funding? Here’s The Perfect SpringBoard For Women

Posted on 07. Feb, 2010 by Natalie in Business Resources, Entrepreneurs, Financial Know How

Part Five of the Sassy Sunday Series: Where I aim to inspire you to be an Evolutionary Entrepreneur.

It’s a fantastic day when you happen across a resource that is solely focused on helping female entrepreneurs get access to money. Springboard 2000 Enterprises does exactly that.

What’s more it’s run by a bunch of impressive female co-founders who clearly figured that women-led businesses should be receiving more than just a measly 1.7% of the billions in venture capital being invested back in 1997.

Especially given that in 1997 women ran 9 million businesses with revenues of $3 trillion and a work force of 27 million. Why shouldn’t we be accessing way more of that equity?

Research showed that the growth rate of women-led businesses was twice the rate of their male counterparts and the industries they were choosing to enter were the “non-traditional sectors” such as finance, manufacturing and technology. However women were not accessing the equity capital necessary to finance these non-traditional businesses so Springboard came to the rescue.

SpringBoard recruits, educates, showcases and supports women-led high-growth businesses as they seek venture capital and grow. The co-founders include Kay Koplovitz, Amy Millman, Denise Brosseau, Cate Muther, Jim Robbins, Andrea Silbert, Debra Filtzer and Karen Bixby.

The entrepreneurs involved with Springboard are the newest faces in the world of emerging growth enterprises and, certainly, the first wave of women to launch non-lifestyle businesses and finance the launch of their businesses via the equity markets.

Springboard companies have raised capital, grown their businesses, expanded their networks and made new business connections thanks to being involved with Springboard. Their impressive results speak for themselves:

• 383 women entrepreneurs at 18 venture forums hosted in 8 markets in the USA and Israel.
• Over $4 billion in equity capital, grants and strategic investments raised.
• 7 Springboard companies listed as publicly traded companies since July 2004.
• 25% merged or were acquired.
• 80% of Springboard companies continue to grow as independent or part of merged entities.
• 2/3 of Springboard alumnae are serial entrepreneur and have graduate and/or professional degrees.
• Most have launched new ventures, become investors or returned to the corporate world. Springboard alumnae are global leaders headquartered or doing businesses in China, India, Singapore, Israel, Ghana, Germany, England, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan among others.

5000 women entrepreneurs leading software, technology, new media, consumer & business products, bio & life sciences industries have participated at Springboard Forums, Workshops and Equity Matters Seminars.

5000 investors, financiers and business development professionals have actively participated in Springboard programs and recruiters, coaches, screeners and attendees.

Springboard is all about enhancing your ability as an entrepreneur, to connect with their peers, other entrepreneurs with a similar growth profile, business leaders, trusted advisors and investors.

That’s what I love to hear.

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Tags: Springboard Funding for Women, Venture Capital for Women-Led Businesses