Companies to Watch - March 22, 2018

These 5 women-founded companies are building the future

March 22, 2018 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

These 5 women-founded companies are building the future

For Women’s History Month, we take a moment to champion some amazing female founders from our network. For the March installment of our monthly companies to watch post, we're spotlighting five women founders that are building and growing companies that will empower, feed, and entertain us in the future.Below is a shortened version of our spotlight on these amazing companies, so be sure to read the whole post to find out more.FarmshelfWhat does your company do?Farmshelf Co-Founder Suma Reddy: We build smart indoor hydroponic farming systems that enable anyone to grow their own food. We want to make it possible for everyone to farm, starting with chefs and restaurants.How can New York do a better job of fostering more inclusivity?SR: Creating more opportunities, not only for women, but for minorities, LGBTQ populations, older folks, etc. When I first entered the tech world, I really valued the opportunities that I found by joining supportive communities like SheWorx (a network of female founders) and becoming a City Director of Lesbians Who Tech (queer women in tech).

What does your company do?

Le Cinema Club Founder Marie-Louise Khondji: Le Cinema Club is a curated film streaming platform that presents one film every week for free. The site celebrates both emerging and established filmmakers. We also curate live screenings and film events.

What makes New York better than other cities for women founders?

MK: There are so many smart women and founders, in every industry, to look up to and be inspired from in the city. New York also has a great mix of industries—it has tech, but it also has the arts—which makes it unique and exciting.

What does your company do?

PowerToFly Co-Founders Milena Berry and Katharine Zaleski: We launched PowerToFly in 2014 to connect Fortune 500 companies and startups with women who are looking to work for companies that value gender diversity and inclusion. Our optimized search tools, job promotions, and employer branding services reduce the time to hire female engineers at a lower cost.

Why did you found it in New York?

MB and KZ: New York is the center of the known universe. Qualified, innovative women from all over the world move here to tap into this city’s energy, and these are the kind of women that are attracted to the PowerToFly platform.

PymetricsWhat does your company do?Pymetrics Founder and CEO Frida Polli: Using neuroscience games and AI, Pymetrics matches candidates to jobs and companies where they are most likely to succeed, while also removing bias from the hiring process.One piece of advice you’d give to a female founder starting an NYC company today?FP: Embrace what you have. I don't fit the typical tech startup CEO mold. I am female and I am not an engineer. When I started Pymetrics, I was in my late thirties and a single parent. However, I focused on what I had: several advanced degrees, domain expertise, and lots of passion.ScreenPrismWhat does your company do?ScreenPrism Co-Founders Debra Minoff and Susannah McCullough: ScreenPrism creates high-quality videos that analyze visual culture, including popular and classic movies, TV shows, and entertainment content. Our content keeps viewers engaged in a world of increasingly fragmented attention. We’re the take that you’re looking for when watching your favorite movie or show.How can New York do a better job of fostering more inclusivity?DM and SM: Opening up closed-door meetings and cocktail parties to a more diverse and inclusive guest list. Offer more resources that support women’s issues, including maternity leave. On the diversity front, create better funding and training programs so people from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds can get more internships and entry-level positions.NYC Tech Community EventsMarch 24: Alleycon, a one-day tech conference backed by Columbia Business School and sponsored by Microsoft, will feature TED-style talks by rising entrepreneurs, VCs, and founders. Speakers include Casper CEO Philip Krim, First Round Capital Partner Hayley Barna, and Venmo Co-Founder Iqram Magdon-Ismail. Use the code “TECHNYC” for 15% off. Register here.April 11: Tech:NYC, TEALS, and CSNYC will host the 2018 NYC Computer Science Opportunity Fair (CS Fair), NYC's largest annual college and career inspiration event for public high school students studying CS. The event will take place at the Armory Track and we are looking for volunteers and companies to host booths. Sign up to volunteer here or get in touch with us if you want to host a booth.Join Us

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