Newswise — Babson College, the No. 1 ranked college and global leader in entrepreneurship, is pleased to announce that FedEx Corp. has agreed to contribute an additional $500,000 to support the school’s Miami Women Innovating Now (WIN) Lab® to assist and encourage emerging women CEOs looking to create economic and social impact.
The WIN Lab® - a first-of-its-kind program helping women entrepreneurs launch successful businesses - was originally launched in 2013 in Boston by Babson’s Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (CWEL). In 2016, the WIN Lab expanded to Miami thanks to the generous support of both FedEx Corp. and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Ceremonies celebrating the formal announcement of the partnership took place November 8, 2018, at the Miami WIN Lab’s annual Demo Night, a business showcase and pitch contest created to highlight emerging women CEOs and their startups across Miami. Speakers included Pam Johnson Program Advisor, Global Entrepreneurship, Diversity and Inclusion from FedEx, Rose Flenorl, Manager of Global Citizenship from FedEx, and (WIN) Lab® Director Michelle Abbs.
The event, taking place at the W Miami, began with more than a dozen startups showcasing their products to the public, followed by the top teams pitching to a panel of esteemed judges, all competing for a package valued at more than $20,000.
The Miami WIN Lab® connects local Miami-area female founders with a diverse set of more than 80 experts for coaching, information sharing, and networking while offering weekly content sessions and access to strategic networks and co-working space. As a global transportation company that works closely with entrepreneurs and small business owners, FedEx understands the importance of supporting such ventures, and the integral role entrepreneurs play in boosting the economy.
“FedEx is proud to enhance our support of the Babson College (WIN) Lab®in Miami,” said Jenny Robertson, Vice President, FedEx Corporate Communications. “This is the third year that FedEx has sponsored the program and we are excited to see the progress of the women entrepreneurs involved in the program. As part of our Global Entrepreneurship giving pillar, FedEx is working to advance women and minority-owned small businesses globally, helping them access new markets and grow. The Miami WIN Lab program is proving to be one of the best philanthropic investments we can make to achieve that goal.”
“Meeting and getting to know these women entrepreneurs is inspirational to me,” said Pam Johnson, FedEx Global Citizenship Advisor and project lead for the FedEx sponsorship. “These women never cease to amaze me with their innovation, creativity and their determination to succeed. It’s very fulfilling to play a role in helping them reach their goals.”
“This incredibly generous gift from FedEx shows that the organization truly values inclusivity and understands the social and economic impact that women entrepreneurs can have locally and globally. FedEx has come to the table, once again, to ensure that Miami’s startup ecosystem will get that much closer to achieving gender parity, creating both a diverse and gender-inclusive city,” said (WIN) Lab® Director Michelle Abbs.
Babson College Women Innovating Now (WIN) Lab®
The Babson College Women Innovating Now (WIN) Lab® is a program designed specifically for high-growth women entrepreneurs that accelerates their entrepreneurial paths. The WIN Lab® invests in women, empowering them to disrupt, experiment, and build successful businesses on their own terms.
The WIN Lab® recognizes that women build businesses differently. Through innovative programming the Lab invests in the development of its residents, enabling them to test, disrupt, and innovate. Once WINners are ready to grow, the Lab provides the road map, expertise, inspiration, and community needed to successfully scale ventures.
Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (CWEL)
The Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (CWEL) seeks to create a gender-enlightened business ecosystem where a diverse range of entrepreneurial leaders is encouraged to create economic and social value for themselves, their organizations, and society.
Babson College
Babson College is the educator, convener, and thought leader for Entrepreneurship of All Kinds®. The top-ranked college for entrepreneurship education, Babson is a dynamic living and learning laboratory where students, faculty, and staff work together to address the real-world problems of business and society. We prepare the entrepreneurial leaders our world needs most: those with strong functional knowledge and the skills and vision to navigate change, accommodate ambiguity, surmount complexity, and motivate teams in a common purpose to make a difference in the world, and have an impact on organizations of all sizes and types. As we have for nearly a half-century, Babson continues to advance Entrepreneurial Thought & Action® as the most positive force on the planet for generating sustainable economic and social value.
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