FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Heather Metcalf, PhD
202-588-8175
metcalf@awis.org

AWIS Announces Newest Cohort of STEM to Market Accelerator Program

WASHINGTON, DC, April 16, 2020 – The Association for Women in Science (AWIS) announced the latest cohort of sixteen STEM women entrepreneurs selected for its STEM to Market Accelerator program. AWIS’ STEM to Market (S2M) initiative provides inclusive accelerator programming to STEM-trained women while empowering key decision-makers and investors with the knowledge and tools necessary to address systemic issues inhibiting social equity. S2M was initially funded in 2016 as a pilot program by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and grew to become a nationally recognized inclusive entrepreneurship support program. S2M is currently supported in part by the Small Business Administration’s Growth Accelerator Fund Competition.

The current nationwide cohort is the fourth group of entrepreneurs to participate in the S2M Accelerator, which celebrated its 2020 kickoff in February with a 2-Day Launch Camp, releasing novel virtual programming in partnership with SEED SPOT. Over the course of ten months, these innovators will receive flexible and holistic support; customized commercialization training; mentoring from advanced entrepreneurs, investors, funders, and market experts; and strong connections within the funding community.

Saniya Ali, PhD, medical technology innovator

Baindu Bayon, PhD, founder of Harpii, LLC

Crystal Burton, BA, founder of DMC Holdings

Kasey Claborn, PhD, founder of HealthEcho, Inc.

Laurel Crosby, PhD, co-founder of Genius Diagnostics, Inc.

Poorva Dharkar, PhD, educational technology innovator

Erica Dozier, BA, health technology innovator

Almudena Espin Perez, PhD, medical technology innovator

Dimitra Georganopoulou, PhD, co-founder of MyGenomeRx

Annette Gilchrist, PhD, co-founder of MyGenomeRx

Amy Ghotra, founder of Eligere

Stephanie Hooker, PhD, materials innovator

Li-Mei Lin, MD, medical device innovator

Lynn Mayo, MS, co-founder of RePicture Engineering, PBC

Jess Rowell, MS, founder of STEMJourneys

Azita Yazdani, BS, MBA, founder of Exergy Systems Inc.

To learn more about this diverse cohort of entrepreneurs, please visit AWIS’ STEM to Market website.

Interested in exploring entrepreneurship as a pathway? AWIS’ STEM to Market initiative and SEED SPOT are hosting a virtual 2-Day Launch Camp on April 20-21, 2020 for women in STEM. Register here.

About AWIS: Founded in 1971, AWIS has been the leading advocate for women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to achieve business growth, social change, and innovation. We are dedicated to driving excellence in STEM by achieving equity and full participation of women in all disciplines and across all employment sectors. In addition to scholarships, AWIS provides career resources, professional development, as well as networking, mentoring, and volunteer opportunities to build leadership skills. To learn more, visit awis.org and @AWISNational.