Prospera Women

Just over one week ago more than 200 women entrepreneurs, corporate executives, policy makers and investors from USA, Europe and Asia attended #InnovateHer Women’s Empowerment Global Summit in Sardinia, Italy in partnership with CREA UniCa - Università degli Studi di Cagliari. In addition to inspiring keynotes, impactful workshops, one-to-one mentoring sessions, and fabulous networking opportunities, we also heard the voices of women from 18 community leaders in Albania, Austria, Belgium, Estonia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Lithuania, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, and United Arab Emirates during the live roundtable discussions. Although progress is being made in closing the gender gap for women entrepreneurs aiming to scale globally, it is clear that a significant 'seismic event' is needed for these talented women to secure the capital from venture capitalists necessary to truly grow their businesses. Prospera Women aims to tackle this specific challenge head-on! Join our community of empowered women and our next roundtable discussions in early December! Hosted by Grace Park and Prospera Women advisors. We have a long list of phenomenal people we wish to thank for delivering such an epic event last month! First and foremost, Maria Chiara Di Guardo, Maryia Zaitsava and Elona Marku, from CREA UniCa - Università degli Studi di Cagliari, our wonderful co-hosts and partners in Sardinia. Secondly, the VIP guests from Silicon Valley and around the world: Grace Park, Amy Peck, Ari Qayumi, Shirin Etessam, Leah Edwards, Paolo Privitera, LouAnn Conner, Shannon Bindler, Zofia Kierner, Maria Pace, Jacqueline Ruedin Rüsch, Fumiha Branscombe, Isabelle Andrieu, Stephanie Hurst, Susan Allen and Anastasia Dgebuadze. And finally, the amazing Anna Tserelova! Sending you all a big thank you for your wonderful participation and support. The best is yet to come!

It is with great pleasure to introduce a visionary leader and trailblazer in the world of venture capital and technology innovation, Ari Qayumi. As the Founder, General, and Managing Partner at Mindful Venture Capital, Ari is at the forefront of investing in transformative early-stage technology companies that are shaping the future of infrastructure, healthcare, and financial services. With a rich background that includes pivotal roles at Silicon Valley Data Capital and RBC Capital Markets, Ari has a proven track record of identifying game-changing innovations and driving digital transformation on a global scale. Beyond her investment acumen, Ari is deeply committed to sustainable development and mindful technology design, leveraging her expertise as a Senior Advisor to the stanford behavior design lab. We are fortunate to have Ari with us at the InnovateHer: Women’s Empowerment Global Summit for Emerging Technologies in partnership with Università degli Studi di Cagliari to share her insights and experiences, and I know we are all in for a truly inspiring session. Please join me in welcoming Ari Qayumi to Sardinia on October 25-26!

Everyone in the Prospera Women community has a track record investing in women-led startups. We are so proud to have Paolo Privitera be included in this group, and thrilled to have him join as a speaker at InnovateHer Global Summit at the Università degli Studi di Cagliari in Sardinia later this month. Paolo is a proud husband and father of two, MIT MBA, is a seasoned Silicon Valley-based global entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience in tech. Originally from Venice, Italy, he founded his first company at 16 and has since launched 6 more, with 4 successful exits. Investor in over 150 companies and 10 funds, Paolo has raised over $300M. Paolo earned his U.S. citizenship in recognition of his distinguished skills and contributions to the tech and entrepreneurial sectors. His last company Evensi, the world’s largest events discovery platform, acquired by Events.com, and now getting ready to go public at Nasdaq. He mentors at 500 Startups, Create Cures Foundation, Health Wildcatters, and more. Paolo is founder and general partner at 1521 Ventures, investing in exceptional startups and funds that tangibly enhance people’s lives. Paolo remains committed to giving back and supporting entrepreneurs across the globe. His core values and assets include kindness, integrity, network, speed, and resilience. 

Startups within the Prospera Women community are being offered a free webinar on Developing Your Pitch to Customers and Investors, by world-renowned Donna Griffit. Register here: https://lnkd.in/e3vgZ9DN Donna Griffit will help startup founders to transform their pitch into compelling stories that inspire action. With 20+ years of experience across 30+ countries, Donna has helped over 1,000 startups and Fortune 500 companies raise $2B through impactful presentations. With Donna's guidance, startups will learn to develop a pitch that showcases their potential and drives results.

It is a true privilege to welcome a distinguished leader in the world of startups, venture capital, and academia, Leah Edwards. With a career that began on the founding team of Post Communications—an innovative digital marketing platform that sold for an astounding $380 million in just two years—Leah has been a driving force in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Her experience spans multiple sectors, including her recent role as a Venture Partner at Pegasus Tech Ventures, where she has been instrumental in raising capital and making critical investment decisions. Additionally, Leah is a respected lecturer at both Stanford University and UC Berkeley, where she inspires the next generation of leaders in engineering and entrepreneurship. As an angel investor, board member, and mentor, Leah's influence touches startups and innovators across the globe. Please join us in Sardinia at the Università degli Studi di Cagliari on October 25-26 to welcome the remarkable Leah Edwards, along with 15 other women investors and corporate leaders from Silicon Valley!

It is with great pleasure to announce that Ms. Zofia Kierner will be a featured speaker, instructor and panelist at our upcoming event - InnovateHer: Women’s Empowerment Global Summit for Emerging Technologies on October 25-26 at CREA UniCa - Università degli Studi di Cagliari in Sardinia, Italy. Zofia Kierner is a Polish-American award-winning social entrepreneur, visiting lecturer at Harvard University and University of California, Berkeley, education and gender equality advocate, Forbes 30 under 30, 25 under 25 laureate and Vogue Leader 2023. She founded the Girls Future Ready Foundation, an educational organization that spotlights the power of thousands of young women and runs multiple international projects. After impacting 80,000 girls and generating over $25M worth of impact, she founded 50one, a boutique social impact agency to support companies and individuals with the creation and implementation of their impact efforts. Her goal is to close the social impact gap. She has a background in Data Science and AI from UC Berkeley. Zofia is a frequent speaker at international conferences or internal company workshops representing the voice of youth, especially when it comes to education, Gen Z in the workplace, female empowerment, global mindset, the role of business in social impact, and everything in between!

We are thrilled to have Anastasia Dgebuadze join Prospera Women as an advisor, and most recently as a mentor to the startups participating at InnovateHer: Women’s Empowerment Global Summit for Emerging Technologies, in Sardinia next month! Anastasia is a highly experienced marketing professional with over a decade of international expertise. As a lecturer in Paris, she is loved by her students for her engaging teaching style and practical insights. With a strong focus on startups, Anastasia has successfully guided numerous ventures in defining and developing their brands, helping them scale in competitive markets. Currently, she serves as a consultant at Capgemini, one of the world's leading consulting firms, where she applies her deep knowledge of digital marketing and strategic growth. Anastasia will be sharing her expertise at the upcoming conference, providing valuable mentoring for aspiring entrepreneurs. A few tickets still remaining! Please register now... https://lnkd.in/dNkVpcvP

We are very pleased to welcome Stephanie Hurst to our speaker lineup in Sardinia for InnovateHer: Women’s Empowerment Global Summit on October 25-26 at CREA UniCa - Università degli Studi di Cagliari. Stephanie is a partner in the Corporate & Securities practice in Los Angeles, specializing in M&A, venture capital, private equity, and corporate transactions with a focus on cross-border deals at Mayer Brown. She advises management and boards on corporate governance, risk management, regulatory, and ESG matters, with experience across industries such as tech/media, healthcare, and cleantech. Stephanie frequently assists Asian, European, and other non-US clients with US operations and investments, leveraging her experience from nearly two years in Mayer Brown’s Hong Kong office. She is also active in ESG and Digital Assets practices and was recognized as a “Women of Influence: Attorneys” by the Los Angeles Business Journal. Join us to meet Stephanie Hurst, Amy Peck, Shirin Etessam, Maria Pace, Ari Qayumi, Leah Edwards, LouAnn Conner, Susan Allen, Zofia Kierner, Paolo Privitera, Shannon Bindler, Tenzin Seldon and many other special guests from Silicon Valley, Europe and other parts of the world. Tickets still available: https://lnkd.in/dNkVpcvP

We are very pleased to welcome Shirin Etessam as a speaker at InnovateHer: Women’s Empowerment Global Summit for Emerging Technologies at CREA UniCa - Università degli Studi di Cagliari in Sardinia. Drawing on a rich tapestry of experience as an entrepreneur, media executive, and master storyteller, Shirin Etessam combines her groundbreaking work in film, television, and digital platforms with a decade-long journey of self-discovery and research in human potential, personal growth, and the transformative power of play. Her unique approach, informed by leading projects for industry giants and pioneering in diversity and digital storytelling, positions her as an authoritative voice in play, personal development, and professional innovation. Shirin’s launch of ‘FREE TO BE: A Six Week Guide To Reclaiming Your Soul’ in June 2023 marks the culmination of her expertise, offering a transformative path for adults to unlock their full potential, blending her storytelling prowess with actionable insights into the essence of play. Please join us in Sardinia!

Meet Maria Pace — a titan of innovation in Extended Reality (XR) hardware, global partnerships, and strategy. We are very thrilled to welcome Maria as a Keynote Speaker at the InnovateHer Women's Global Summit at the Università degli Studi di Cagliari in Sardinia next month. Maria's remarkable journey began in the academic realms of Stanford University and University of California, Berkeley, where she honed her expertise in MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems), resonators, and 2-D materials. Her career, characterized by breakthrough thinking, has led her to pivotal roles at Microsoft and Google, where she has driven significant advancements in VR, AR, and XR technologies. Maria’s groundbreaking work includes pioneering projects such as the Bi-X-Layer Field Effect Transistor (BXLT-FET) and graphene transistors, which have left an indelible mark on the tech industry. Maria’s career is a testament to her relentless pursuit of knowledge and innovation. From her early days as a Research Scientist at Stanford, where she fabricated graphene devices that advanced the study of electron mobility, to her tenure at Sandia National Laboratories, where she focused on CVD graphene resonators, Maria has consistently pushed the boundaries of technology. Her contributions at UC Berkeley and UC San Diego, particularly in spectroscopy techniques using silicon nanowires, further solidified her expertise. At Microsoft, Maria rose to become a Technology Leader in Mixed Reality, spearheading innovative solutions for the next generation of devices. Today, she continues to shape the future of XR at Google, where her extensive experience makes her an invaluable resource in the rapidly evolving landscape of emerging technologies.