Newswise — Babson College’s Miami Women Innovating Now (WIN) Lab®—a venture accelerator specifically for women entrepreneurs—will host its finale event for the 2018-2019 cohort on March 12, 2019.

The finale at the Intercontinental Hotel will involve a VIP reception, networking event, and a pitch competition where three of the WINners will pitch their businesses for a chance to win cash prizes: $5000 first place, $2500 second place $1000 third place.

Each entrepreneur will pitch their startup:  three will compete for the prize with a five-minute pitch; the rest will present a two-minute pitch and partake in networking opportunities.

“We are immensely proud, inspired, and impressed with the growth of each of the companies graduating from the third cohort of the WIN Lab,” says Babson’s WIN Lab Miami Director Michelle Abbs.  “This night will be our chance to celebrate their personal accomplishments and the impact their businesses have had on the economy.”

FedEx Corp. is an official sponsor of Babson’s WIN Lab Miami, with funding equaling $900,000 since 2016.  “FedEx is proud of the accomplishments of the Babson College (WIN) Lab® in Miami,” said Jenny Robertson, Vice President, FedEx Corporate Communications. “The positive feedback from the program participants is really impressive.  They are getting rare access to some of the best training and coaching available.  It’s exciting to think about all of the growth potential now available to them and their businesses as they take what they’ve learned and put it into action.”

“It’s always so motivational to spend time with the women entrepreneurs at the WIN Lab,” said Pam Johnson, FedEx Global Citizenship Advisor and project lead for the FedEx sponsorship. “They always are so appreciative of the opportunities this program is giving them, and it’s very gratifying to see how enthusiastic they are about taking their businesses to the next level.” 

Participants will include:

  • Virginia Sanchez, Government Affairs Advisor, Latin America and Caribbean Division, FedEx Express;
  • Marilyn Blanco Reyes, Vice President, Legal, Latin American and Caribbean Division, FedEx Express;
  • Karen Stendardi, Vice President of Information Technology,  Latin American and Caribbean Div., FedEx Express;
  • Event sponsor TD Bank.

About FedEx Corp.

FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $69 billion, the company offers integrated business solutions through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world's most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 450,000 team members to remain focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. To learn more about how FedEx connects people and possibilities around the world, please visit about.fedex.com. 

About Women Innovating Now (WIN) Lab at Babson

Created by the Center for Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership (CWEL) at Babson College, the Women Innovating Now (WIN) Lab provides women entrepreneurs with an inspiring community and a rigorous, experiential process that catalyzes innovative thinking and enables them to successfully scale their businesses.

Now in its fifth year, the WIN Lab has been designated as one of the top two specialty programs for Excellence in Entrepreneurship Education by the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship; earned BostInno's designation as one of Boston's "50 on Fire" innovators and visionaries; and was honored by the prestigious Rosoff Awards for diversity. Women entrepreneurs in both Boston and Miami can apply to become a member of the next cohort by submitting an application until May 31, 2018.

About 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.