OUR 2024 SUPPORT OF THE CONFIDENCE GAP

MAKING A REAL IMPACT

With a record-breaking 10,849 applicants, our judging panel from BOTOX® Cosmetic and IFundWomen selected their final grant recipients. 20 unstoppable women who are ready to take their businesses to the next level—awarded $25,000 each, plus mentorship and coaching. We are helping to close the Confidence Gap and so can you by supporting these women-led businesses and following their success stories.

GIVE NOW TO THEIR CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGNS

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Health & Wellness

KRISTA MARTINS

WUKKOUT! 

Krista Martins is the founder of Wukkout!® a high-energy soca-based dance fitness class designed to make you have fun and sweat just like you would at a Caribbean Carnival. It is a new kind of welcoming, diverse, carefree fitness experience and continues to grow with the Wukkout!®  Instructor Training Workshop, which helps others along their path to business ownership.  

Not actual patient.

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Mental Health

KRISTINA JONES

GUARDIAN LANE

Kristina Jones is redefining grief counseling with a fun on-demand app for children ages 5-15. Guardian Lane is a children’s mental health startup that provides grief counseling for kids, social healing, weekly emotions data check-ins for parents, and telecounseling for added support. Guardian Lane produces the largest video library of creative grief projects, allowing grieving children and families to immediately access expert help from a phone or computer.

Not actual patient.

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Beauty

LIHAU WILLIN

IWI NAILS

Lihau Willing is the founder of Iwi Nails–a DIY nail art and accessory company that utilizes storytelling in design to uplift marginalized voices and increase inclusivity in the beauty industry. Not only are Iwi products easy to use, safe and healthy for your nails, salon-quality, and long-lasting, but their unique designs allow people to feel seen in an industry that has too long been overrun by stereotypical homogenous femininity.

Not actual patient.

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Footwear

YEWANDE AKINSEL

SALUBATA

Yewande Akinse is on a mission to invent lifestyle technologies that help people and the planet. SALUBATA modular shoes are repurposed from plastic wastes and utilizes carbon decomposition technology to create sustainable and eco-friendly footwear options.

Not actual patient.

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Beauty

JOY HOOVER

ESŌES COSMETICS

Joy Hoover is the founder of Esōes Cosmetics. After 14 years serving over 10,000 women affected by violence, she invented Esōes safety lipstick, the first patent-issued smart safety device combining beauty, science, and technology. The Esōes safety lipstick is a real lipstick that houses roofie test strips and a built-in panic button that connects to a customizable safety app to help women wherever they are.

Not actual patient.

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Sportswear

MARINA PAUL

SPRHRA

Marina Paul is the founder of SPHRA, a specialized activewear line that gives every female athlete the Freedom to Perform in her sportswear. Superhera began during her time as a college soccer player at Georgetown University and the restrictive sportswear was not made for her athletic body which affected her performance and health. Superhera was born so that no female athlete would ever feel restricted by their sportswear again.

Not actual patient.

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Beauty

KETA BURKE-WILLIAMS

OURSIDE

Keta Burke-Williams is redefining luxury fragrance with Ourside. Combining unique experiences with familiar ingredients to create unexpected fragrances that, until now, never even existed, Ourside addresses the fragrance market's demand for inclusive, eco-conscious options while catering to customers seeking non-toxic alternatives.

Not actual patient.

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Retail

NATASHA NORI STANDARD

EQWAL FOOTING

Natasha Nori Standard is a US Army veteran who designs military-grade combat boots specifically designed for the female foot. EQWAL Footing provides female service members with the proper support and fit needed to excel in their physically demanding roles while promoting inclusivity and equality in the armed forces.

Not actual patient.

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Community

BRENDA KASATY

ROSE CAT COFFEE COMPANY

Brenda Kastay is all about coffee, connections, and collective change. Her coffee shop, Rose Cat Coffee Company, is the only local shop that primarily employs individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and also provides a one-of-a-kind environment focused on creating a community that champions inclusivity, fosters connections, and empowers individuals.

Not actual patient.

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Childcare

DANIELLA CORNUE

LE VILLAGE COWORK

Danielle Cornue is supporting working parents by providing top-quality childcare, on-site at Le Village Cowork. An inspiring coworking space allows members to be present with their kids, create a flexible and independent lifestyle, make lifelong friends, and love coming to work again.

Not actual patient.

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Culture

MAI TRUONG

BO & MEI

Mai Truong is the founder of Bo & Mei–thoughtfully designed culture kits that help people experience Asian culture and carry on their heritage with confidence. A daughter of Vietnamese refugees, as she grew up she didn’t have pride in her Asian identity. Years later as a parent, she felt a deep responsibility to create a strong connection for her children to their Vietnamese and Chinese roots. She created Bo & Mei, named after her two daughters.

Not actual patient.

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Beauty

CORY & NICOL VARONA

OCOA BEAUTY

Cory and Nicol Varona are sisters who founded Ocoa Beauty. They are redefining beauty standards and promoting self-acceptance among Latinas and multicultural women. Ocoa Beauty is changing the curly hair experience and helping women feel confident in their natural beauty with products that work. They are dedicated to addressing the underrepresentation of Latina women in the beauty industry, catering to their curly hair and promoting inclusivity.

Not actual patient.

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Accessories

CEATA E. LASH

PUFFCUFF LLC

Ceata E. Lash is changing the game for the 65% of the world with curly, textured hair with PuffCuff. PuffCuff is a damage-free, inclusive styling solution that unlike traditional bands that pull and break hair, instead secures hair without pain. It's easy to use, versatile, and promotes the celebration of natural beauty across all curl types.

Not actual patient.

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Beauty

KIA-SHUN VOLTZ

SHAMPOOTIME®

Kia-Shun Voltz is the founder of ShampooTime®. She turns the tedious chore of washing, rinsing, brushing, taming, and styling children’s hair into a fun experience. The ShampooTime® specially designed patented mat and products keep kids calm, entertained, and promotes bonding between the parent and child for a memorable, tear-free experience.

Not actual patient.

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Eyewear

NANCEY HARRIS

VONTÉLLE

Nancey Harris is paying homage to her African ancestry through better-fitting, fashion-forward eyewear brand, Vontélle. Each Vontélle product and accessory is created with traditional colors and patterns that channel African, Caribbean, and Latin heritage. These designs are tailored to empower humanity to see the world through a cultural and global lens.

Not actual patient.

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Parenting

AMBERLEE VENTI

PIPPY SIPS

Amberlee Venti is a mom who founded Pippy Sips. She is of the utmost belief that women should be able to pump and store their breast milk anywhere. Pippy Sips makes pumping easier and more accessible to all breastfeeders with products that add simplicity to the pumping experience and break barriers in breast milk storage and cooling.

Not actual patient.

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Consumer Packaged Goods

MEGAN LANCASTER

ELLEVATE WAGON

Megan Lancaster is disrupting the wagon industry by offering the first electric everyday wagon. Ellavate Wagon aims to solve the all-too-relatable consumer problem–the hassle of transporting heavy items and children, especially across difficult terrain. The company's mission is to create innovative and stylish electric wagons that cater to the many needs of modern families and businesses.

Not actual patient.

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Automotive

TALENA HANDLEY

GIRLIE GARAGE

Talena Handley is ready to provide women with the resources they need at Girlie Garage. Girlie Garage offers automotive education and consulting for women to lessen the anxiety around visiting a mechanic so they don’t get taken advantage of financially and maintain their vehicles more often.

Not actual patient.

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Sports

CAROLINE FITZGERALD

GOALS SPORTS

Caroline Fitzgerald is the founder of GOALS, a start-up consultancy and media company that is fully dedicated to growing the business side of women's sports. The stories are all too common: pay gaps on and off the field, exploitation, lower endorsements, poor facilities, lack of coverage; the list is endless. Women's sports deserve more. GOALS creates a level playing field for women’s sports by giving leaders in sports the support and information they need to help change the game.

Not actual patient.

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Food

HANNAH PERRY

FLOOF COTTON CANDY

Hannah Perry is the creator of the original cotton candy cake. Floof cakes are made entirely out of cotton candy, and they slice just like a piece of cake. They are gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, egg-free, dairy-free, and vegan-safe for anyone with a food allergy. Above all, Floof is dedicated to providing a unique and memorable experience that delights the senses and creates lasting connections.

Not actual patient.

WHAT IS THE CONFIDENCE GAP?

42%

Women make up approximately 42% of all business owners in the US.

50%

On average, women start with about 50% less working capital. 

<3%

Women receive approximately less than 3% of all venture capital funding.

<1%

Women of color founders receive less than 1% of funding. 

APPROVED USES

BOTOX® Cosmetic is a prescription medicine that is injected into muscles and used to temporarily improve the look of moderate to severe forehead lines, crow’s feet lines, frown lines between the eyebrows, and vertical bands connecting the jaw and neck (platysma bands) in adults.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

BOTOX® may cause serious side effects that can be life threatening. Get medical help right away if you have any of these problems any time (hours to weeks) after injection of BOTOX® Cosmetic:

APPROVED USES
BOTOX® Cosmetic is a prescription medicine that is injected into muscles and used to temporarily improve the look of moderate to severe forehead lines, crow’s feet lines, frown lines between the eyebrows, and vertical bands connecting the jaw and neck (platysma bands) in adults.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
BOTOX® Cosmetic may cause serious side effects that can be life threatening. Get medical help right away if you have any of these problems any time (hours to weeks) after injection of BOTOX® Cosmetic:

  • Problems swallowing, speaking, or breathing, due to weakening of associated muscles, which can be severe and result in loss of life. You are at the highest risk if these problems are preexisting before injection. Swallowing problems may last for several months.
  • Spread of toxin effects. The effect of botulinum toxin may affect areas away from the injection site and cause serious symptoms, including loss of strength and all-over muscle weakness, double vision, blurred vision and drooping eyelids, hoarseness or change or loss of voice, trouble saying words clearly, loss of bladder control, trouble breathing, and trouble swallowing.

BOTOX® Cosmetic dosing units are not the same as, or comparable to, any other botulinum toxin product.

There has not been a confirmed serious case of spread of toxin effect when BOTOX® Cosmetic has been used at the recommended dose to treat frown lines, crow’s feet lines, forehead lines, and/or platysma bands.

BOTOX® Cosmetic may cause loss of strength or general muscle weakness, vision problems, or dizziness within hours to weeks of receiving BOTOX® Cosmetic. If this happens, do not drive a car, operate machinery, or do other dangerous activities.

Serious and/or immediate allergic reactions have been reported, including itching, rash, red itchy welts, wheezing, asthma symptoms, or dizziness or feeling faint. Get medical help right away if you are wheezing or have asthma symptoms, or if you become dizzy or faint.

Do not receive BOTOX® Cosmetic if you are allergic to any of the ingredients in BOTOX® Cosmetic (see Medication Guide for ingredients); had an allergic reaction to any other botulinum toxin product such as Myobloc (rimabotulinumtoxinB), Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA), Xeomin (incobotulinumtoxinA), Jeuveau (prabotulinumtoxinA-xvfs), Daxxify (daxibotulinumtoxinA-lanm), or Letybo (letibotulinumtoxinA-wlbg); or have a skin infection at the planned injection site. This list may not include all available botulinum toxin products.

Tell your doctor about all your muscle or nerve conditions, such as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, myasthenia gravis, or Lambert-Eaton syndrome, as you may be at increased risk of serious side effects, including difficulty swallowing and difficulty breathing, from standard doses of BOTOX® Cosmetic.

Tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, including surgery or plans to have surgery on your face, trouble raising your eyebrows, drooping eyelids, any other abnormal facial change, are pregnant or plan to become pregnant (it is not known if BOTOX® Cosmetic can harm your unborn baby), or are breastfeeding or plan to (it is not known if BOTOX® Cosmetic passes into breast milk).

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Using BOTOX® Cosmetic with certain other medicines may cause serious side effects. Do not start any new medicines until you have told your doctor that you have received BOTOX® Cosmetic in the past.

Tell your doctor if you have received any other botulinum toxin product in the last 4 months; have received injections of botulinum toxin such as Myobloc, Dysport, Xeomin, Jeuveau, Daxxify, or Letybo in the past (tell your doctor exactly which product you received); have recently received an antibiotic by injection; take muscle relaxants; take an allergy or cold medicine; take a sleep medicine; or take aspirin-like products or blood thinners.

Other side effects of BOTOX® Cosmetic include dry mouth; discomfort or pain at the injection site; tiredness; headache; neck pain; and eye problems, including double vision, blurred vision, decreased eyesight, drooping eyelids and eyebrows, swelling of eyelids, and dry eyes.

For more information, refer to the Medication Guide or talk with your doctor.

To report a side effect, please call Allergan Aesthetics at 1-800-678-1605.

Please see BOTOX® Cosmetic full Product Information, including Boxed Warning and Medication Guide.