Good news on two fronts for female entrepreneurs:

  • The NC IDEA Foundation is adding a new executive to help female startup founders deal with funding challenges.
  • Also, the foundation picks three female-led teams for its SoarTriangle program.

The moves are part of a strategy by NC IDEA to bolster women in entrepreneurship. NC IDEA, which expanded its mission from helping startups and bolstering economic development over the years to include mentorship and other programs such as Groundwork Labs, took over the SoarTriangle mentorship program last year.

The new exec coming onboard as a program director aiming to deal with funding challenges is Natasha Goldstein, who currently is an Entrepreneur in Residence at UNC’s Kenan-Flagler School of Business Launch startup accelerator.

LinkedIn profile

Notes from her background as noted in her LinkedIn profile:

“Finance, development and strategy professional with a wealth of experience in impact investing, corporate finance, strategy, fundraising, start-ups and social enterprise with the goal to make a positive impact through personally meaningful work. Passion for start-ups and helping social businesses achieve mission and financial sustainability.

“Regular guest lecturer and speaker on impact investing, starting and financing social ventures and microfinance. Venues have included Harvard Law School, Harvard Social Enterprise Conference, Columbia University, New York University, University of Michigan, Invest In Women Conference and Women Advancing Microfinance, among others.”

“As a program Director, Natasha will lead our efforts to address the proven funding gap for female founders, the focus of the SoarTriangle program,” NC IDEA explains.

“She will also shape our thinking and activities on developing a leadership development program intended to help nascent entrepreneurs with the unique challenges of scaling a business.”

Goldstein has some 10 years of experience in corporate finance, social impact investing and social entrepreneurship.

“We are fortunate to have someone of Natasha’s background joining our team. She adds depth to what we can do to help entrepreneurs pursue their entrepreneurial dreams,” said NC IDEA President and CEO Thom Ruhe.

SoarTriangle Cohort

Meanwhile, three startups were selected for the latest SoarTriangle program.

They are:

ADORAtherapy

ADORAtherapy is founded upon the belief that the earth holds within its abundant resources the ability to achieve balance and wholeness within the individual. The Mood Boost collection empowers women to awaken to their wise feminine nature. By choosing their moods, women rise to new levels of personal transformation, leadership, economic freedom and self-recognition. When women recognize their unique beauty and creative life force, ADORAtherapy will accomplish its mission to be a benevolent force for social change.

SiNON

SiNON is dedicated to improving the lives of those who suffer from debilitating neurological diseases by increasing the ability of drugs to cross the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB). The patented Nano-Particle, the Carbon Dot, will enable pharmaceutical companies to encapsulate their drugs in a way which dramatically improves drug-localization to the brain.

The Wed Clique

The Wed Clique is a platform for venues to offer 1-Click Weddings, selling packages of vendor services matched to a customer’s unique vision for their event. The Wed Clique facilitates venue-specific styled shoots with teams of local vendors in our network. The shoots are then compiled into a bookable portfolio of weddings for each venue. Now when a customer books the venue, she can instantly click and buy the exact vendor team that already created her perfect wedding. The Wed Clique takes care of all the back-end contracting and payments, creating a seamless experience for couples, venues, and vendors from click to “I do”.

(Note: Company summaries were provided by NC IDEA.)