Dear Fellow Entrepreneurs,
It is a privilege to have the opportunity to congratulate you for being a Semi-Finalist of the 2021 Draper Competition for Collegiate Women Entrepreneurs. As fellow entrepreneurs, we are proud to witness the next generation of trailblazers develop innovative ideas to better power and improve our society.
We know first hand the value of expanding your network, increasing your visibility, and the opportunity for direct investment in your enterprise. We hope you all know that opportunities like the Draper Competition are just one of several initiatives that demonstrate that in Massachusetts, the people, places, and partnerships are in place to support you.
We have experienced this as awardees of the Massachusetts Next Generation Initiative (MassNextGen)—a five year, more than $2 million commitment to ensure greater gender parity in the next generation of life science entrepreneurs. The public-private partnership between the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) and sponsors Takeda, King Street Properties, Sanofi, Johnson & Johnson Innovation, and Mintz, has deployed more than $1 million in funding for women entrepreneurs, paired with an executive coaching network providing 200-plus hours of coaching.
Since participating in MassNextGen, we have gone on to raise follow-on funding, grow our teams, and reach critical milestones for our ventures. Not long ago, we were in the same place as you, with a great idea and passion to bring it forward. Please know that as you continue to grow as an entrepreneur, it will be that passion quotient you have that will be a major driver of your success.
You have chosen a unique path to take a leap of faith as an innovator and founder. While this path will provide you with challenges, know that the opportunity in front of you is real for success, now and into the future.
Moreover, never forget you are not alone and that the Commonwealth is home to many that are eager to support you and help you grow and learn in your venture as they, like you, believe in encouraging diversity in entrepreneurship. This diversity better reflects the society we live in and correlates with substantially improved business performance.
Even with the challenges over the past year, it is our collective belief that women-led companies are still going strong. You are part of this strength. We believe in you, because we all share a common bond to innovate, lead, and shift the paradigm toward a diverse society with equal representation.
Always know the broader MassNextGen community is here as your peers, supporters, and partners.
Good luck. We can’t wait to see what you do next!
| Amy Ripka CEO and Founder Lucy Therapeutics | Azadeh Khanicheh President and Founder EnVision Endoscopy, Inc. | Camille Martin CEO and Co-Founder Seaspire |
| Carmela Mascio President and Co-Founder LivOnyx Inc. | Elizabeth O’Day CEO and Founder Olaris, Inc. | Ida Pavlichenko CEO, President, and Co-Founder PionEar Technologies |
| Joanna Stanicka CEO and Founder Axonis, Inc. | Laura Indolfi CEO and Co-Founder PanTher Therapeutics | Minmin Yen CEO & Co-Founder PhagePro, Inc. |
| Natalie Artzi Co-Founder BioDevek | Nele van Dessel CEO and Co-Founder Ernest Pharmaceuticals | Yue Shao President and Co-Founder Buy Time Medical |
| Suzanne Mitchell CEO and Founder See Yourself Health | Vera Hoffman CEO and Co-Founder Reveal Pharmaceuticals, Inc | Virginia Burger CEO and Co-Founder New Equilibrium Biosciences |
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