Are you an aspiring female entrepreneur based in the Netherlands at a very early stage of starting your business? Do you have an idea that needs evolution or validation? Want to start a business, but don’t know how? Want to build and challenge your business model? Do you need help crafting your pitch message?
With our WAI Accelerate program we can help you to create and kickoff your AI startup. Learn how to start building your business, which steps to take and how to take them. Get valuable feedback along the way from inspiring founders on how well you perform. Get a rigorous entrepreneurial framework and set of tools, test your start-up’s business model and … pitch it!
The program is designed to support aspiring female-led or female co-led startups that apply Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and Data Science solutions in a way that promotes ethical leadership and social impact. It aims to encourage more women to step into the field of AI. It is a well-paced program that allows participants to get the most out of networking and think through their ideas.
The program will kick off in October. We will have of a combination of offline and online events. Offline events will give participants the opportunity to connect with peers and meet other AI founders to learn about their experiences. Our online events will be focused on education and creating a viable business model that will help you to start navigating into the start-up ecosystem.
If you have any questions or would like to know more about the details of our program, feel free to contact our program lead, Julia, by clicking on the button below.
Online. Linked In Event.
Monday, 7th of October, 7PM-8PM.
Duration: 60 minutes.
This webinar is open to everyone and will give applicants the sense of what this program will be about.
In particular, this interactive workshop aimed at assisting aspiring entrepreneurs to identify and refine a business idea that best suits you, using proven tools and techniques.
• Understand the importance of having a business idea that matches their skills and passions.
• Use the IKIGAI concept to align their passion, mission, profession, and vocation.
• Draft and present a compelling one-minute pitch for their idea using ChatGpt.
After this webinar participants will have to decide whether they would like to participate in the program and make a contribution fee of 99 EUR. Deadline: 9th of October.
The participants will receive guidance on how to prepare for the kick off event introductions.
Offline. Networking event
Wednesday, 25th of October, 5.30 PM to 9.30 PM
Location: Science Park 301, 1098 XH Amsterdam
Participants will get a chance to meet each other, WAI community, make introduction of their ideas and decide which idea they will work on during the program.
We will have female founders joining us and sharing their experiences of creating the business.
Offline. This is the main block of the program.
In person. Friday 17th of November (5.30 pm – 9.30 pm) & Saturday 18th of November (9.30 am – 4.00 pm).
Location: The 17th at TNW office ( Singel 542, Amsterdam) and the 18th at Equals (Raamgracht 6, Amsterdam)
During this session we will cover:
• Strategy (entrepreneurial thinking, entrepreneurial methodology Identifying an opportunity)
• Marketing (understanding customers, sketch a solution, evaluate competition and market size)
• Finance (price, costs, business model).
Online.
November the 22nd, 7 PM – 8 PM.
During this session you will get tips and tricks to prepare for the pitch.
After this session participants have to record 1 minute pitch and send it for the feedback.
Offline.
Wednesday, December the 6th, 5.30 PM to 9.30 PM
Location: Science Park 301, 1098 XH Amsterdam
This last session participants will be pitching to the jury. The jury will consist of the our partners from accelerators, VCs and angel investor. Participants will receive valuable feedbacks and have opportunity to discuss further plans around their ideas with investors.
For this program we are partnering with The Cantillon Institute for Entrepreneurship. Gilles Mautin is Dean of The Cantillon Institute for Entrepreneurship and will lead the curriculum of the program. He will also be available as a mentor.
Here are some testimonials from the Cantillon Institute program to give you an idea of what to expect. Our program will be similar, but tailored to the needs of the Women in AI Accelerate program.
As an aspiring female entrepreneur at an early stage of starting your business the WAI Accelerate program can help you kickoff your AI startup. It gives you an opportunity to network with peers and meet other AI founders to learn from their experience.
Access to the network of entrepreneurial like-minded women in the field of AI with possibility to find co-founder and validate product ideas.
Build and validate your idea. Get strategic support during the development of your AI ideas. For the go-to-market preparation this is enabled via the Mentorship track of WAI.
Understand how to think like an entrepreneur. Get to be able to visualize technology stacks and business models, and turn community problems into feasible and sustainable solutions.
Create a vision for success. Learn from speakers and industry experts by spending individual sessions with mentors align it with particular topics and expertise. Eventually you will be participating in entertaining activities.
Test your start-up's business model and pitch it! Fine-tune your investors pitch and present ideas and models to the jury and field experts.
The program will run between September 2023 until December 2023.
We strongly encourage you to attend all the events for your own benefit, therefore, we kindly ask to consider time commitment when applying for the program. (See progam outline above.)
Events will be held in either Amsterdam or in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
There is no fee for application, but if you are chosen to actually take part of the program it will cost you 99 euros. So selected participants will be asked to pay for the program.
WAI is non-profit and our volunteers are dedicating their spare time to make this program possible. But to offer drinks and snacks during the offline meetings and ensure group commitment we are asking for a fee.
Unfortunately, women are still very underrepresented in VC-backed startups and in the AI field. That is a shame, because private technology companies led by women are more capital-efficient, deliver higher revenue and are more likely to prioritize socially responsible initiatives and care about underserved communities. The goal of Women in AI (WAI) is to help eliminate the potential biases in AI by encouraging diverse teams in algorithm, product, and business development.
Private technology companies led by women achieve 35% higher ROI.
The Kauffman Foundation
Companies founded by women deliver more than 2 times as much revenue (per dollar invested).
MassChallenge and Boston Consulting Group (BCG)
Partnering with WAI Accelerate is a great way to show your commitment to supporting women as essential stakeholders in the development of emerging technologies, from data scientists to business leaders. By partnering with the program you are able to connect with future changemakers.
Would you like to partner with WAI Accelerate? Please contact our Accelerate Program Lead Julia with the button below.