Four San Diego startups win a spot in national innovation competition in Washington DC.
This past November, Hera Hub’s business accelerator partner, Hera LABS, co-hosted one of the 500 InnovateHer 2016: Innovating for Women Business Challenges held throughout the United States. Thirteen finalists presented their products to a panel of five judges and more than 50 event attendees. Four San Diego-based startups, including one co-founded by Hera Hub member Barbara Murphy, have made it into the next round of the challenge.
The four women will head to Washington, D.C. in Spring of 2016 for the InnovateHer Summit. The final Summit, hosted during Women’s History Month, is a chance for one business owner to walk away with one of three prizes totaling $70,000.
The purpose of the InnovateHer Challenge, a product of the SBA’s Office of Women’s Business Ownership, was threefold. Anyone wishing to enter the competition needed to have a product that:
- Would have a measurable impact on women and families
- Filled a need in the marketplace
- Had potential for commercialization
The challenge is a way to “bring together creative ideas to support women’s efforts to push the limits, break the glass ceiling and create long-term, positive changes in gender equality.”
With San Diego becoming a major player in the startup, investing and business accelerator scene; and female entrepreneurship continually on the rise, hopefully in the coming years we won’t need more competitions to achieve those goals, they’ll be happening organically!
Congratulations to the finalists and to Hera LABS for their participation in the challenge.
Learn more about Barbara Murphy and the other three San Diego InnovateHer finalists here.
Video credit: InnovateHER 2016 San Diego Women Business Challenge Highlights from Hera Labs on Vimeo.
