Stone & Chalk innovation hub announced a ‘Females in Fintech’ program in Melbourne beginning this month.
“According to BCG research, when women business owners pitch their ideas to investors for early-stage capital, they receive significantly less than men —a disparity that averages more than $1 million,“ Karen Cohen, Program Manager based at Stone & Chalk said.
Stone & Chalk is an independent not-for-profit Fintech hub that fosters and accelerates the development of Fintech start-ups.
Funded by LaunchVic, the program will create a network for women working in the fintech industry by supporting them via a range of initiatives. These initiatives will be focused on opening doors to success through three carefully structured pillars; networking events, mentoring and education. These pillars are aimed at directly helping women in the fintech ecosystem access connections to help accelerate careers and improve their businesses.
The education program will focus on pro-actively growing their residents’ individual careers, leadership skills, customer growth and funding readiness. The program will be open to Stone & Chalk residents as well as other fintech start ups within the Victorian ecosystem.
The networking events and mentoring program will see participants connect with high-profile speakers and experienced mentors who can all help to amplify their connections and contribute to the successful growth of their businesses.
The education program will focus on growing leadership skills with a strong focus on generating a higher representation of women on boards.