Living Entrepreneurship Blog / Women's Leadership

These Five Finalists Will Compete for the Biggest Prize Ever for a Women-Led Business

Babson Breakaway Challenge Judges and Finalists

Babson Breakaway Challenge Judges and Finalists

This past Friday, 19 businesses pitched in front of a panel of judges as part of the Babson Breakaway Challenge. Five businesses were chosen to compete this Friday, September 30 at the Hynes Convention Center as part of HUBWeek. These five finalists will be vying for the largest prize ever awarded in a business competition: $250,000 in funding.

Emily Levy

Emily Levy

Babson graduate Emily Levy ’16, CEO and Co-Founder of Mighty Well is one of the five finalists. Emily also participated in Babson’s Women Innovating Now (WIN) Lab, and is the recipient of numerous entrepreneurship awards.

The finalists will pitch to a panel including HUBweek Chair Linda Pizzuti Henry; President of Breakaway Ventures John Burns; Former Chairman and CEO of Zipcar, Inc., Scott Griffith; Founder and Managing Director of Boston Seed Capital, LLC Nicole M. Stata; and Founder and CEO of Pantegrion Capital Alicia Syrett.

GE Ventures CEO Sue Siegel will serve as keynote, and will be addressing the gender gap in U.S. business and limited access to venture capital for female entrepreneurs.

The Babson Breakaway Challenge was created by Susan Duffy, executive director at Babson’s Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership, and John Burns, President of Breakaway, in direct response to Babson’s Diana Project report, Women Entrepreneurs 2014: Bridging the Gender Gap in Venture Capital (pdf). The research revealed that while women entrepreneurs are majority owners of nearly 36 percent of all U.S. businesses, they receive only 2.7 percent of all venture capital funding.

Here are the five finalists:

Allergy Amulet

Allergy Amulet

Allergy Amulet
Allergy Amulet is developing a rapid, portable, point-of-consumption food allergen detection device that connects to a patent-pending disposable test strip.
@allergyamulet

Archer Roose
Archer Roose is an alternatively packaged wine brand dedicated to bringing the consumer great wines, in the right format at the best price.
@ArcherRoose

Beantown Bedding
Beantown Bedding’s disposable, Laundry-Free Linens® offer businesses and consumers an easy and eco-friendly alternative to laundering.
@Beantown Bedding

Map My Beauty

Annabella Daily from Map My Beauty

Map My Beauty
Map My Beauty uses personalized augmented reality and expert tips to help you master every essential makeup how-to with easy lessons on your own selfie.
@MapMyBeauty

Mighty Well
Mighty Well creates wellness wear designed for patients by patients. Their first product is the PICCPerfect, a fashionable PICC line cover.
@LiveMightyWell

>> Get more information and register to attend the Babson Breakaway Challenge Finale event.