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Headlines Startup

New Startups to Watch: Four Companies Founded by Female Leaders

According to the latest Crunchbase data, 20 percent of new startups have at least one female founder. While a major gender gap still exists, this is a 100 percent increase from 2009. Here are just a few of the most exciting female-founded companies we noticed. 

Allobee

Founded in 2019 by Brooke Markevicius, Allobee provides solutions for micro-businesses, small businesses and startups. Markevicius founded Allobee after “seeing the issues in both the gig economy, freelancing and running a business.” In a 2021 press release, the Durham-based company announced that it had secured $500,000 in a funding round led by Stargazer Ventures and a network of angel investors.

About Allobee: Allobee is a platform designed with the overwhelmed entrepreneur and small business owner in mind. Whether in need of business support services like bookkeeping and tech assistance, or up-leveling your visibility with podcast editing, website development, graphic design or social media, Allobee is a one-stop business solution to give you time back when you need it most. Allobees algorithm connects business owners nationwide to a vetted, underutilized workforce of experienced, professional women who have left the traditional 9 to 5, and provides a seamless workflow to the logistics of hiring, paying, and managing projects to completion.

Tall Poppy

Founded by Leigh Honeywell and Logan Dean in 2018, Tall Poppy provides online protection for clients’ employees. With more than a decade of experience in computer security, Honeywell leads Tall Poppy as the CEO. The company’s team is composed of technical professionals and survivors who understand the impact of online harassment and abuse.

More about Tall Poppy: Tall Poppy builds tools and services to help companies protect their employees against online harassment and abuse. It combines proactive security training, threat monitoring, and detection with incident response when an individual comes under attack. In addition to its standard service, it also offers additional capabilities for high-profile executives who face increased risk.

Aliro

Aliro Quantum is one of our new startups to watch. The company focuses on creating a new quantum networking platform. Many expect quantum networking technology to help unlock ultra-secure communications. Aliro spun out of NarangLab at Harvard University. Prineha Narang, one of the founders and the CTO, is an assistant professor at the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University.  

More about Aliro: Aliro is leading the charge on quantum network market creation by offering the foundational technologies needed for organizations around the world to build powerful quantum systems. As an Air Force Research grant recipient, Aliro is designing quantum network simulation and emulation tools while partnering with national labs and hardware vendors including Air Force Research Labs, IBM Q Network, Rigetti, Honeywell Quantum Solutions and Hyperion Research to make scalable quantum computing accessible.

NeighborSchools

Founded in 2018 by Bridget Garsh, Brain Swartz and Cedric McDougal, this Boston-based startup helps licensed child care providers open family child care programs to provide parents with affordable and reliable care. NeighborSchools has raised a total of $3.5 million in seed funding.

More about NeighborSchools: NeighborSchool’s mission is to help experienced educators launch and operate family child care programs. In doing so, they aim to increase access to affordable, high-quality child care for parents everywhere. Children get amazing early childhood education programs, parents get a trusted partner and providers can earn a living wage doing what they love. It’s a win-win-win.

Inspired by these founders and companies? Looking for funding for your company? Check out our resource list on funding sources for female entrepreneurs or the annual Lioness Resource Guide for Female Entrepreneurs!

About the author

Thalia Plata

Thalia Plata, is a freelance multimedia journalist based in Boston, Massachusetts. She holds a Bachelor of Science in journalism with minors in history and political science from Emerson College. Originally from North Carolina, Thalia loves exploring Boston and the New England area, practicing her cooking skills, and reading long-form journalism pieces.
Contact: thalia_plata@emerson.edu

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