A Texas Woman’s University Center for Women Entrepreneurs & Stoke Incubator Program
In partnership, Stoke and TWU CWE developed this incubator program to support women-owned/founded businesses and startups.
AccelerateHER was designed to help early stage companies develop and test their ideas and grow their businesses with a hands-on focus by the program manager, mentors, and partner networks. This incubator program equipped participating entrepreneurs with tools, education, coaching, and mentorship to enable them to successfully develop their products or services, take them to market, and secure funding or investment where needed.
AccelerateHER Pitch Event
The first iteration of the AccelerateHER program concluded with a Pitch Event to celebrate the work and progress of these six women entrepreneurs on February 25th, 2021 from 5 - 7 PM virtually.
First Cohort of Six Women-Led Companies
Leslie Brenner, Founder of Cooks Without Borders
Founded in December 2015, Cooks Without Borders was inspired by Brenner’s experiences cooking and eating around the world and “the idea that cooking has unique power to bring people together,” according to its website. Cooks Without Borders provides stories, recipes, and cookbook reviews while connecting the world.
Kandace Anderson, Founder and CEO of Departmynt
Designed as a “dating app but for clothing” according to its website, Departmynt alleviates shopping frustration by connecting women to clothing picked just for them.
Juli James, Co-founder and Managing Director of Playable Media
Playable Media is an online learning and game design company based in Denton. Its goal is to increase engagement for businesses and connect employees, customers, and new audiences.
Michelle Schodowski, CEO and Founder of Radda
Radda’s mission is to facilitate the seeking and giving of advice for musicians to grow in their craft. Radda allows people to network worldwide and connect with fellow musicians while building a community of members who are invested in helping one another.
Ernanda White, Founder and CXO of Black Girls Drone
Founded earlier this year, Black Girls Drone is “taking flight” to pursue “STEM equality, education, and visibility for women and girls of underserved communities as they become FAA Certified UAV aeronautic drone pilots,” according to its website.
Lillia Whittington, Owner and Head Content Creator of The D. Diaries
The D. Diaries is “Denton’s #1 influencer space” complete with lifestyle and fashion blog posts, as well as local Denton hotspots and features.
AccelerateHER Mentors
Jasmin Brand is an entrepreneur, community change agent and a thought leader in digital media, brand strategy and diverse startups. She is the founder of The Start, a creative agency and digital publisher specializing in culturally rich content and experiential events.
Marshall Culpepper is the co-founder of both Kubos, a satellite software startup in downtown Denton, and Techmill, a nonprofit organization for Denton tech builders. As the original organizer of the Denton Jelly, LittleDOCC, and Bootstrap Denton, Culpepper is an active member of the Denton Community, mentoring students and local entrepreneurs about writing software and building startups.
Patrick Peters is the Senior Vice President at Fourth Wall Media, COO and co-founder of LifeCast, and a previous board member for TechMill. He works at the nexus of media and technology and loves a good story. Patrick’s expertise is in big data, marketing strategy, and business development. His company has been nominated for two Emmy awards.
Aaron Powell is a biking advocate and founder and CEO of Bunch Bikes, the leading family cargo trike manufacturer in North America. He's on a mission to share the joy of family biking with the world. For more info follow him on twitter @cargodad.
Heidi Potthoff has more than 25 years of client and agency experience. She has worked across a variety of industries globally – developing, managing, and transforming the customer experience. She is currently the founder of HMP, growing and building upon the acceleration of start-ups valuation. She is an active board member, advisor, and investor for various entrepreneurs. She continues to gain visibility of the DFW entrepreneurial market and thinks beyond the status quo.
Cathy Trinh is the Assistant Director at TechFW, a non-profit that helps entrepreneurs launch and grow emerging technology companies. Cathy was also a multi-award business advisor with the Tarrant SBDC and has taught Business at Tarrant County College for over a decade now. Cathy earned her Executive Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Texas at Arlington and two degrees from Vietnam: English Linguistics and International Trade.
Stoke is a coworking space and community-centered entrepreneurial hub that opened in 2016 in Denton, TX. Stoke works to cultivate community and empower entrepreneurs in Denton and North Texas by providing connections to resources and offering supportive, informational programs and events, including Lunch + Learn, Coffee + Convo, and special events like FlintConf, Big Ideas, a lil d creative mixer, and Global Entrepreneurship Week each fall.
The Center for Women Entrepreneurs is a program within the Jane Nelson Institute for Women's Leadership at Texas Woman’s University. The Center for Women Entrepreneurs at Texas Woman’s University is committed to helping women in Texas become successful business owners. TWU's Center for Women Entrepreneurs serves as a business-growth resource for business owners or potential entrepreneurs through one-on-one coaching, special events, networking and education.
AccelerateHER 2020
In the Press
“The partnership with Stoke “underscores the charge” of TWU’s CWE, which is to facilitate the economic development growth of women in Texas, Shannon Mantaro, Senior Director of Operations, and Entrepreneurial Leadership for the JNIWL said. “During these times of uncertainty, we are especially pleased to be able to help the recipients of this program accelerate the success and sustainability of their businesses,” she said.”
-Dallas Innovates
“As the cohort works its way through the program, it will be required to use its knowledge and mentorship to set and achieve milestones based off of the individual company. Some of the local entrepreneurial experts helping lead the program include Mary Anne Alhadeff, head of the Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership at TWU; Emily Roden, CEO of Ready Rosie; and Aaron Powell, founder and CEO at Bunch Bikes.”
-NTXINNO