New York University Aims to Address the Gender Disparity in Entrepreneurship

Startup culture in the United States continues to be male dominated, with only 2.7 percent of venture funding going to women-led startups in 2019. To address this inequity, the Entrepreneurial Institute at New York University announced a new Female Founders Fellowship. Open to all NYU student entrepreneurs, the Fellowship provides training, mentorship, networking opportunities, and grants of up to $50,000 each.

The Female Founders Fellowship program supports entrepreneurs by plugging them into NYU’s ecosystem of resources, and, upon graduation, invites them to apply for grants of up to $50,000 each to help alleviate the financial burden of early-career startup costs. The grants are made possible through the generous support of the program’s lead donor, entrepreneur and NYU alumnus Mark Leslie and his wife, Debra.

Rebecca Silver, associate director of the NYU Entrepreneurial Institute, said, “We seek to build a diverse, inclusive cohort of fellows, and we welcome applications from any student with a demonstrated commitment to women’s issues in the entrepreneurial space.”

The program will equip 15-25 fellows each year, with the following support:

• Training: Fellows will have access to comprehensive startup training and mentorship through The NYU Entrepreneurial Isntitute’s programs.
• Coaching: Fellows will receive dedicated support from expert startup coaches.
• Network of Female Founders: Fellows will be invited to participate in monthly community events, an annual full-day Female Founders Forum, and have access to a network of 120+ external mentors and funders.
• Financial Awards (between $5-$50k per grantee): Fellows will have the opportunity to apply for grants to help alleviate the financial burden of building a startup, enabling more fellows to pursue their ventures after graduation.