Civic Accelerator Takes on Entrepreneurship #likeagirl

The Points of Light Civic Accelerator is now accepting applications for their Spring 2015 program, which focuses on empowering women and girls with their challenge:

How Might We Create Greater Opportunities for Women and Girls to Succeed in Today’s Economy?

Originally announced at the first Women’s Entrepreneurship Day by Civic Accelerator founding supporter PwC Charitable Foundation’s Corporate Responsibility Lead, Shannon Schuyler, the focus on women and girls is a slight pivot from their last challenge which focused on creating pathways to economic opportunity.

The fact is, while great improvements have been made, there are still several large issues facing women in the United States today, ranging from the leadership and pay gaps to the STEM gender gap and a disparity among high-low wage earners among women, just to name a few. And yet venture-backed companies that include females as senior executives are more likely to succeed than companies with only men in charge and VC firms that invest in women-led businesses performed better than all men-led businesses, according to the SBA Office of Advocacy.

While the potential solutions are many, they are interested in exploring a range of solutions from STEM education, workforce, leadership and 21st century skills development, to innovative childcare and public safety solutions. Even though their challenge focuses on women and girls, they are also seeking related innovations that influence their success, such as youth skills development, education, workforce readiness, social and emotional learning, and community development.

Early bird deadline for a discounted application fee ends on February, 20 and for more information and to apply visit bit.ly/civicxapply.

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