Kristen hers Cooper

The Startup Ladies teach entrepreneurs to go from: idea, to market, to growth. We teach those with financial capacity how to invest in startups, then connect them to investor-ready founders. And, we provide deal flow to corporations who provide ancillary services to startups. Our ultimate goal is to grow the number of women starting up scalable businesses and help them secure funding to grow. We believe that diversity is a competitive advantage, so all genders are welcome to participate and become members. As the CEO and Founder, I lead our staff, board, ambassadors, and members to achieve our mission of increasing the number of women starting up scaleable businesses and helping them secure the funding needed to grow. Gender disparity is extreme in the startup space. In 2020, of the $136.5 billion invested into US startups - female founders received less than 3%. The Startup Ladies are solving a problem specific to women, BIPOC and the LGBTQ community by including everyone in our solution. Since August 2014, we have helped... 1. Entrepreneurs go from idea, to market, to growth. 2. Individuals learn to invest in startups and connect them to investor-ready founders. 3. Corporations who provide ancillary services connect to startups and investors. Our for-profit membership organization headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana includes nearly 200 entrepreneurs, investors, and corporations in 5 states. We've helped founders secure more than $250k in investment. We've helped corporations secure more than $300k in new deals. If you are starting up a business, interested in investing in a startup, or a company that provides services to startups or investors - consider becoming a member. Our Meetups, live and virtual education, eLearning platform, private online community, and Mental Wellness for business programming will help you grow your network and connect to potential clients, advisors, mentors, and funders.