Harvard Innovation Labs

Happy International Women’s Day! Women founders receive less than 2% of venture capital funding, yet studies show that women-led startups generate 10% more in revenue over five years compared to those led by men. Representation matters. Women are at the forefront of social impact and consistently drive higher profitability. Let’s invest in women together!

In celebration of Women’s Day, we asked Harvard women founders and innovators to share their advice for fellow women entrepreneurs. Tag a female founder who inspires you!

Let us know your advice in the comments 🥰

Congratulations to WHOOP's founder and CEO, Will Ahmed (College '12), for being featured in Boston Globe Media's Bold Types series!

Will started WHOOP as a Harvard College student and athlete. Exercising 3-4 hours daily, he wanted to understand his athletic performance's impact on his health in as much detail as possible. This curiosity led Will to use the i-lab's resources to help launch WHOOP in 2012.

Since its early days at the i-lab, WHOOP has grown into a unicorn company, attracting celebrity users and investors such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Michael Phelps, and LeBron James.

Read the full story in The Boston Globe:

How Will Ahmed turned an idea he had as a student athlete at Harvard into a $3.6 billion fitness-tech brand - The Boston Globe Ahmed's company, Whoop, has scored investments from Michael Phelps and LeBron James, opened a flashy headquarters steps from Fenway Park, and made waves in the crowded world of wearable tech.

We are absolutely thrilled to announce the winners of the President’s Innovation Challenge!

From portable operating rooms to chip-scale quantum sensors, the impact these ventures will have on the world is boundless.

25 Harvard ventures competed for a share of $515,000 from the Bertarelli Foundation on May 1st. Finalists pitched to 1,000+ attendees at Klarman Hall and the winners were announced live.

We’re so grateful to all participants, judges, and supporters, including Harvard University Interim President Alan Garber and our own Bruce and Bridgitt Evans Executive Director, Matt Segneri. And of course, a huge thank you to the i-lab team as well as Harvard Business School volunteers who helped make this year’s ceremony another spectacular night!

Read more about the event and meet the winners in the Harvard Gazette:

Turning ideas into impact — Harvard Gazette Startup founders inspire global audience at 2024 Harvard President’s Innovation Challenge Awards ceremony.

A huge congratulations to the finalists in the President’s Innovation Challenge Social Impact Student Track.

The Social Impact Student Track is open to student ventures that make our planet safer, more equitable, sustainable, and beautiful.

Congratulations to:

Mai Soli Foundation

: Empowering young girls to break the cycle of child marriage with education and entrepreneurship.

Saturday Art Class

: Unleashing the creative potential of one of the world’s largest marginalized child populations by developing social-emotional skills through visual arts education.

Solara

: Providing on-demand solar irrigation to Indian farmers, increasing their access to affordable, reliable, and clean irrigation.

Trans Health HQ

: A one-stop shop of clinical, legal, and expert resources for clinicians seeking to improve care for transgender patients.

UMA

: Helping female artisans break free from the poverty trap by enhancing leadership skills and providing access to markets.



RSVP to attend the awards ceremony on May 1 online or in-person at Klarman Hall (in-person is sold out, but you can hop on the waitlist!)

https://innovationlabs.harvard.edu/pic/pic-2024