Girls Raising presentations are a unique series of events that help women founders get publicity, network with like-minded entrepreneurs, and meet influential women (and men) who can move their businesses forward.
If you haven’t attended, here is what you are in for:
4 pre-selected startups present their idea to a female panel consisting of two VC's or Angels and two successful startup founders. Two minutes of QA and two minutes of actionable feedback follow each pitch.
Congratulations to the following Founders & Startups
Lydia Sugarman - PersonalHealthCloud
Marissa Hu - Swagger
Rachel Payne - FemInc
Girls Raising presentations support, educate and encourage female entrepreneurs. We help them build the confidence and network necessary when raising a seed round of funding. Our events are an opportunity for guests to preview some of the great companies being built by women and to hear from some of the most successful and influential women of our time.
Girls Raising is a network based on quality over quantity. It is a small private event with a limited number of tickets in order to maintain a productive networking atmosphere.
Tasty Treats and drinks will be provided
**LEAVE US YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS HERE TO BE NOTIFIED ABOUT UPCOMING EVENTS AND FOR AN INVITATION TO OUR INVITE ONLY BETA SITE : A CURATED RESOURCE NETWORK FOR FEMALE FOUNDERS AND ENTREPRENEURS.**
HOSTS
Vanessa Dawson, Founder of Evry & Girls Raising @VanessaNDawson
Kara Dake, Partner @ Scandal Co-Active and Founder @ Signalfy
Panelists
Leura Spielman
Founder & CEO - Laurel & Wolf
Leura Spielman is a professional interior designer turned entrepreneur. After working as the senior designer for one of the world's top interior design firms ( Architectural Digest Top 100, International Interior Designer of the Year, and as seen on Bravo's "Million Dollar Decorators")
Leura launched her own interior design business Leura Fine Interiors ( also featured on HGTV.) Frustrated by the archaic business model of the interior design world, Leura decided it was time to democratize the industry by establishing a better way for clients and designers to get connected and work together.
Laurel & Wolf was born from this idea and makes interior design easy and affordable to all. Through a marketplace platform, Laurel and Wolf offers customers multiple designs for their space from professional interior designers for a flat fee. Leura believes in the power of great design and how it can transform the way you work, live, and love.
Alyse Killeen
VC- Clearstone Ventures Partners & Future Perfect Ventures
Alyse Killeen is an Early stage Venture Capital Investor. She has co-founded and is co-Chair of the Women in Venture Finance and Innovation group, and is an invited board member of the Women's Crypto Association for business leadership in the Bitcoin ecosystem.
Data application, decentralized ledger technologies, connected devices (IoT), the sharing economy, and healthcare IT are areas of investment focus, and Alyse has presented globally on the confluence of cryptographic currency and peer-to-peer marketplaces.
Prior to working in Venture Capital, Alyse conducted research in the field of Health Psychology with a focus on cognition's impact on immunological function, and worked in operations for startup commerce companies.
Growing up in an entrepreneurial family, Alyse developed a sustained passion for supporting the entrepreneurial community and innovation generally, which extends well beyond the bounds of her own portfolio.
Sophia Viklund
C0-Founder, backCODE
Sophia Viklund is the Founder and Head of Strategic Relations of backCODE and leads public and community relations for backCODE.
Sophia is a serial entrepreneur in such diverse industries as technology, architecture, real estate development and gaming. She is also one of the main organizers and a board member of Innovate Pasadena -- the new effort to organize a significant startup ecosystem centered around Pasadena and with its major institutions (including Caltech, Art
Center College of Design, Pasadena City College and the City of Pasadena) and also an organizer of Startup Weekend Pasadena -- Google Entrepreneurs initiative a largest community of entrepreneurs with over 400 past events in 100 countries around the world in 2011.
Sophia is a strong advocate of girls and women in engineering and other technical fields as well as one of the organizers of Girl’s Geek Dinner in LA. Forbes Magazine named her a Female Founder to Watch in 2012 and 2013.
Partnering with Bruce Lai and Grant Viklund to grow a creative studio (backCODE) and launch an educational games company (STEM Champions d/b/a TBD).
Jennifer Anderson
COO, Siemer Ventures
Ms. Anderson is an integral member of the business development team at Siemer partnering with leadership to develop and implement growth strategies and manage key firm relationships. She oversees the firm’s marketing strategy and team, events and public relations.
Prior to her work with Siemer, Ms. Anderson worked in Business Affairs & Entitlements with Casden Properties, building key political and community relationships, serving as a liaison to outside counsel and shepherding projects through the entitlement process. Ms. Anderson gained extensive management, marketing, research and event production experience as the Deputy Campaign Manager for Governor Jerry Brown’s 2006 campaign for California Attorney General as well as in her role as the Assistant Midwest Regional Press Secretary for Senator John Kerry’s 2004 presidential bid. Ms. Anderson honed her leadership, event production and sales skills as the Founder and Chair of The Ivy Plus Society, a social and professional networking organization which she sold after its expansion to eight major urban markets.
Ms. Anderson is a graduate of Yale University and the University of Chicago Law School. She is a member of the California State Bar.
Selena Paskalidis
• Co-Founder & CFO/CMO , Dotstudioz
Selena has more than 10 years of experience in film, television and digital production, as well as creating financial and operational business models in tech and entertainment.
At Dotstudioz, she deals with all aspects of the business and manages Dotstudioz’s financials, as well as the marketing strategy and content creation. Paskalidis is a highly accomplished filmmaker, and worked her way up very quickly in Canada’s film, television and digital industries.
She started her career as Head of Business Affairs in long form drama, and moved effortlessly in to development before taking the reins in production. In 2013, Paskalidis has worked with companies such as the Food Network, History Channel, Women’s Network, National Film Board of Canada and the Discovery Network. She has also developed and produced feature length films in conjunction with Telefilm Canada and her current film John Apple Jack will be screening in September at the California Independent Film Festival.
Paskalidis loves being thrown out of her element, and feels this is when she learns the most and grows as a person. She believes that in order to be a Producer, one needs to understand the business side of finance, marketing and distribution. Her hobbies include basketball, cooking and international travel. She has a BComm in International Business & Marketing, and holds a special place in her heart for Excel.
Schedule
Welcome! Name tags, refreshments drinks & good conversation
Let the show begin!
- Panelist introductions
- 3 Presentations
Final Networking
