Part of the Technology Track at the EVOLVE Conference
Thursday April 17, 1:30pm - 6pm
The Women’s Advancing Summit is where bold ideas meet real-world strategies to help women navigate, innovate, and lead in today’s business landscape. This isn’t about empty talk or hand-wringing, it’s about solutions, strategy, and action. And the voices and ideas? Well, our amazing community of course!
Designed for founders, executives, and innovators, this summit is about cutting through the noise, breaking barriers, and building success on your terms. Through the afternoon, fuel up with women-founded snacks and beverages while supporting live audience pitches from female entrepreneurs, because investing in women starts here.
Sessions:
Hear from powerhouse speakers like Brigid Schulte, bestselling author of Overwhelmed and Overwork and expert on the future of work alongside trailblazing female founders and industry leaders.
Win Anyway: How to Succeed in Today’s Challenging Startup Environment – Navigate regulatory shifts, fundraising hurdles, and business scaling with insights from top experts.
The "Money Game": Where Do Entrepreneurs Get Their Money? – Unpack the realities of funding for women-led businesses, from grants and angel investors to alternative financing strategies.
Women in Climate Leadership – Explore how women are driving climate solutions, overcoming barriers, and shaping a sustainable future.
REGISTRATION
WomenAdvancing will offer an intimate atmosphere for connection and conversation; with targeted invitations offered to female founders, funders, and ecosystem supporters. If you would like an invitation, please reach out to Tom Tom Conference Chair, Kate Byrne (speaker@tomtomfoundation.org).
The WomenAdvancing Badge will have full access to the programming on Part of the Technology Track at the EVOLVE Conference
2024 WOMEN'S SUMMIT HIGHLIGHTS:
In 2024, Women on the Rise partnered with the Ascending Angels, a grassroots women’s financial education advocacy group to launch a women’s summit at the Tom Tom Festival. Together with efforts from Venture Central, local and state partners such as Charlottesville Angel Network, CAV and the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC), the program included a session, “The Faces of Angel Investing,” regarding the importance of diversity in angel investing, as well as provided a platform for regional female founders to participate in a lightning round pitchfest.
The momentum grew from here with two educational meetings and the film viewing of “Show Her the Money” to which 180 registered to attend. The latter caught the ears of local Virginia Radio IQ and NBC29 who both ran segments regarding the effort. The group held a final program at the Vault, “In Her Words”, during which female founders and their respective angels shared the journey from start to successful finish in securing financing.
The Summits at Tom Tom Festival offer a critical opportunity for ideas to incubate, launch and grow, and fulfull a vital part of the Tom Tom Foundation's mission.