AWE: Cultivating and Inspiring Women Entrepreneurs
powered by Ben Franklin
AWE – the Alliance of Women Entrepreneurs founded in 1996
is about women helping women entrepreneurs.
It’s the mid-Atlantic region’s largest organization dedicated to
supporting high-growth businesses created or led by women.
Behind the Scenes with Joan Waters
COFCO CEO, Board Member of AWE, Chairman of AWE Ventures
Q. Joan, what’s so AWEsome about AWE?
A. Being Chairman of AWE Ventures and a Board Member of AWE, has been my most challenging project to date but also one of the most rewarding.
Did you know that nationally, the number of new businesses grew by 48% between 1997 and 2014 BUT, the number of new women owned firms grew by 68% during that same time period?. AWE and AWE Ventures are focused on supporting this important economic trend by providing practical assistance and inspiration to women entrepreneurs in the greater Philadelphia area.
Q. How does AWE do it?
A. Through its educational and networking events AWE fosters relationships within the entrepreneurial community to identify, cultivate and inspire women entrepreneurs. We are proud of our members, many of whom have founded and led innovative ventures that have resulted in significant return on capital for investors.
Q. Joan, how can readers help with this AWEsome cause?
A. On June 4th we announced an exciting initiative to continue to grow AWE’s ability to help women entrepreneurs. The AWE Venture – Powered by Ben Franklin launched. AWE Ventures is a crowd-funded, donation-driven capital pool exclusively supporting women-led startups and emerging enterprises. This is a fund designed to specifically support women led organizations here in Philly. Ben Franklin Technology will match every dollar AWE is able to raise. The goal is to build a 500,000 fund.
This is a chance to truly help women entrepreneurs but it is also a chance to help educate women on the importance of investing. Women tend to be more comfortable donating than they are investing. This initiative will include an important educational component to help women learn and become more comfortable about investing. The statistics are staggering on the amount of money women will control in next 20 years and helping them understand the value and importance of investing is an important part of this fund.
Join us October 8th for the
AWE Ventures Founder’s Celebration
Admittance is by donation prior to the event:
