[Posted on December 10, 2007 - 4:55 PM]
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DiggWomen's networking events don't get much more star-studded than last week's She Made It, an initiative of the The Paley Center for Media to honor women who create TV and radio. Many of those being celebrated showed up, including Maria Hinojosa, Martha Stewart, Hannah Storm, Dr. Ruth Westheimer and Paula Zahn. There even some men in attendance --in the coat check I ran into New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, who was a lot more low-key than his character on Seinfeld.
During the cocktail hour, I had a chance to chat with Kay Koplovitz, trustee co-chair and founding benefactor of She Made It. A cable TV pioneer who founded USA Networks (now owned by NBC Universal Inc.), Koplovitz has been introducing female entrepreneurs to venture capitalists since 1998, when President Clinton appointed her chair of the National Women's Business Council.
In 2000, she launched Springboard Enterprises Inc., a nonprofit group that teaches women fund-raising techniques and holds events to showcase promising companies led by women. To date, more than 350 companies--the majority of them technology related--have been selected, coached and presented by Springboard to venture capital firms, with 83% receiving funding. Enterprise companies have raised more than $4 billion. Seven of them have gone public.
I asked Koplovitz why women need the exta help to get funded.
"Because 95% of all venture capital still goes to startups founded by men," she answered immediately. "Getting funded is all about who you know," Koplovitz explained. "No matter how brilliant you are or how good your idea is, it doesn't mean a thing if a venture capitalist doesn't know you."
Female entrepreneurs in online video, interactive advertising and digital marketing will get a special opportunity to meet VCs next fall, when She Made It and Springboard host AllThingsMedia, the first venture capital forum to showcase women-led media companies, on October 30, 2008. -- Mary Kathleen Flynn
For more on Koplovitz, see April 2006 story from TheDeal.com
Comments
From: Mary Kathleen Flynn,
Jayne,
It sounds like you've attended some Springboard events?
I'd love to hear about your experiences.
Thanks,
Mary Kathleen Flynn
Senior Editor
The Deal & Tech Confidential
Posted on:
December 12, 2007 3:05 PM
Nothing is as inspiring as seeing these women entrepreneurs go through the drills and then present to a group of interested people with venture capital to spend!