Equalize Culmination Pitch Event (Virtual)
Equalize Startups is a nonprofit launchpad dedicated to fueling the success of women founders in academia. Our six-month program offers expert training, personalized mentoring, in-person networking, and a pitch competition, all designed to help women academic inventors successfully navigate the startup ecosystem.
Come cheer on our Equalizers! Plan to attend the Equalize Culmination Pitch Event (virtual) about the promising startups our 2026 cohorts are working on. Please also invite investors in your network – research has shown that investment into female founded startups has a 2.5X ROI over other startup investments.
The program will start with a keynote by Allison Byers, author of Fundraising for the Rest of Us. All Equalizers will pitch in breakout rooms for Medtech, Physical Science, Therapeutics, and Tools. While the judges deliberate, we will hear from a panel of how larger companies work with academic startups. Finally, we will celebrate all of the 2026 Equalizers, and especially the Overall and People’s Choice winners in each cohort.