Women 2.0 is a global network and social platform for aspiring and current female founders of technology ventures.[1] It was founded in April 2006[2] and primarily provides an incubator for ideas program for engineers, designers, business, and marketing participants who want to launch and develop their own high-technology ventures.[3]
Founded by Shaherose Charania, Angie Chang, and Shivani Sopory,[4][5] the group organizes workshops and events aimed at helping female entrepreneurs.[6] It aims to increase the number of female entrepreneurs starting high-growth ventures through access to resources, network, and knowledge.[7] Around 80 percent of the network's members are women who are involved in startups.[8] The organization received a round of funding from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation in October 2011.[9]
Women 2.0 offers a five-week program that involve twenty participants. Members of the team work together to produce five viable products and develop a problem hypothesis. After it is validated and a basic prototype has been created, the team applies to incubators such as Astia, TechStars, Springboard, and YCombinator, among others.[3] There is also an annual business plan competition that culminates in a Pitch Night, where finalists present their plan before a panel of judges.
In 2011, Women 2.0's mobile-focused Founder Labs became an independent organization based in San Francisco and New York City.[10]
in 2015 they started giving out awards.[11]
