Girls In Tech

If you apply to the Pipeline Fund Fellowship Application, you are asked to:

*Describe a time when you took the safe route

*Describe a time when you took a chance

This is my kind of application!

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS -> Pipeline Fund Fellowship

To complete the Pipeline Fund Fellowship application, go to:http://ow.ly/32A8s

Natalia Oberti Noguera @nakisnakis, known for her active work to empower women – contributing to the social entrepreneurial and venture communities in New York City – stopped by our November 10th E & V series event with Columbia Venture Community, featuring young women who broke in to the industry. Briefly, before we all popped upstairs to the after party, or the NYC perennial next event: Ivo Lukas (Portland MD and GIT Mentorship Director) had tweeted a quick picture of the event team, Peggy Wallace (our moderator, from Golden Seeds) and I marveled together at the fantastic event Jenny Bai and GIT China threw for the Girl 2.0 campaign, and Natalia had enthralled quite a few of the current and future angel investors on the NYC board, on our panel, and in the audience. Thanks for coming out Natalia – your collaborative style and smart, ethical commitment to social entrepreneurship is going to do great things for both young and experienced women in the E & V ecosystem!

Angel investing: nelle botti piccine ci sta il vino buono (in the small barrels you find the good wine).

Pipeline Fund Fellowship trains women philanthropists to become angel investors through education (modules on due diligence, term sheets, valuations, board governance, etc.), mentoring (matching each participant with an experienced angel investor to serve as a role model), and practice (participants apply what they have learned to select women-led for-profit social ventures to invest in).

We will accept ten participants into our first cohort. Each participant commits to invest US$5K for a collective US$50K to be invested in a woman-led for-profit social venture at the end of the training.

Posted in All Chapters, New York | No Comments »

The SF MusicTech Summit brings together 700+ visionaries in the music/technology space, along with the best and brightest developers, entrepreneurs, investors, service providers, journalists, musicians and organizations who work with them at the convergence of culture and commerce. We meet to discuss the evolving music/business/technology ecosystem in a proactive, conducive to dealmaking environment. For more information, check out http://sfmusictech.com, and use code “girlsintech” for 10% off!

10% off – SF MusicTech Summit
Dec 6th, 9:00a – 5:00p
Hotel Kabuki, SF

Posted in Girls In Tech, Palo Alto, San Francisco, santa cruz, Silicon Valley | No Comments »

5A5 Steak Lounge
244 Jackson Street
San Francisco, CA 94111

Register

http://githolidaymixer2010.eventbrite.com/

Thank you from all of us at Girls in Tech San Francisco for making this a fabulous year!

Posted in Events, Girls In Tech, San Francisco, Silicon Valley | 1 Comment »

Are you a small non-profit with a national or global focus and a mission to help women and/or children, or know someone who runs one? A new mobile microphilanthropy project is looking for organizations (with budgets under $2 million) to apply to be part of their program. If selected, there will be no charge to the non-profit; but they will gain from this project’s efforts to assist the organizations with this new, exciting crowdsourcing project.

However, the non-profit(s) need to act quickly, as the deadline for application is approaching on December 1.

We look forward to the finished product and seeing how many organizations can be helped through this innovative project.

How to Participate

To submit a nonprofit for consideration, please post your suggestion to this messageboard. Please include the nonprofit’s name, URL and contact information if you have it.  Post here: Mediaegg Microphilanthropy Project.

Click on ‘Project Brief’ for full details.  (This is for U.S.-based companies at this time.)

——————–

Mediaegg and the Microphilanthropy Project are the brainchild of Aliza Sherman.   Ms. Sherman is a Web pioneer and social media innovator and commentator. She speaks around the world about Internet and social media-related topics.Her latest project – Chain of Daisies Project – is working to build a pipeline of qualified women speakers to business, technology and venture conferences to create more opportunity and equity at these events.

In 1995, she founded the first woman-owned, full-service Internet company, Cybergrrl, Inc. and the first global Internet networking organization for women, Webgrrls International.

In 2003, she started a consulting firm that would become the social media agency Conversify, one of the few agencies today with over 20-plus years experience providing high-level, strategic Internet and social media consulting to companies and organizations.

Aliza is recognized for her writing and blogging and was named by Fast Company as one of the “Most Powerful Women in Technology” in 2009.  She is also the author of several books, including:  The Everything Blogging Book, Streetwise Ecommerce, and PowerTools for Women in Business.  She was also named by Newsweek magazine as one of the “Top 50 People Who Matter Most on the Internet” back in 1995, one of only three women on the list.  She was part of the American Association of University Women’s Educational Foundation Commission on Technology, Gender, and Teacher Education exploring the technology gender gap in schools culminating in a report called Tech-Savvy: Educating Girls in the New Computer Age (2000).

You can follow Aliza on Twitter at:  @alizasherman

Tags: Aliza Sherman, Chain of Daisies Project, Mediaegg
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Anyone that is a “gadget-freak” like me knows that the HTC EVO is one of the most talked about smart phones of 2011.

Finally, a touchscreen phone I am proud to call the iPhone killer. That’s right, I said it (and I’ve waited so long for this moment too!).

The EVO comes with 7 home screens, an 8 megapixel camera, HDMI output, live video sharing with a front-facing camera, visual voicemail, a kickstand for hands-free and tabletop viewing, 4.3 inch screen, 4G speeds, and so much more.

But what really makes the user-experience that much better are the apps!

With that said, here are my top 5 favorite apps for the HTC EVO.

1. Tasker

This app automates your entire phone! Here are some things you can do: launch a music application when you plug in your headphones, send an automated text to someone when you’re 15 minutes away from picking them up, or set a schedule to disable certain features on your phone to conserve battery power at night.

For more info:
http://tasker.dinglisch.net

2. CamCard

For those of you who do a lot of IRL networking, this app is for you! Whenever someone gives you a business card, simply take a photograph of it with CamCard. The app scans and detects the information on the card and adds it to your phone’s address book.

For more info:
http://www.androlib.com/android.application.com-intsig-bizcardreader-ptBx.aspx

3. Vlingo

For a safer and less distracting driving experience, use Vlingo. Use voice commands to operate your phone. Compose text messages and emails. Use Vlingo to read incoming messages (email and SMS) while driving or get directions while keeping your hands on the wheel.

For more info:
http://www.vlingo.com

4. Lookout

People often forget that a smart phone’s operating system needs anti-virus and security just like our PCs do. Use this app to stop viruses, malware, and spyware. The Lookout app also provides a backup solution so all of your data can be safe in the cloud. And finally, Lookout will help you find your phone when stolen or misplaced by pinpointing it on a Google Map. You can activate a loud alarm to locate your phone when it’s nearby…even if it is in silent mode.

For more info:
http://www.mylookout.com/m/android

5. Caller ID Faker

For us Girls in Tech that just wanna have fun, Caller ID Faker is a must-have app. Use this app to make crank calls from any phone number, change your voice, and record the call so you can proudly review your work and share it with your friends.

For more info:
http://calleridfaker.com

6. AND A BONUS FOR YOU SUPER GEEKS!!!

This isn’t an app, but I thought I’d mention this item on Amazon.com for serious EVO users that may want TWO extra longer life batteries and a wall travel dock + USB charger on the cheap! Never plug your phone in to charge again.

Link:
http://www.amazon.com/Sprint-Battery-Charger-Verizon-Incredible/dp/B003XOUM12/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=wireless&qid=1288266335&sr=8-2-spell

Have something you’d like to share about the HTC EVO? Please leave a comment below and tell us about it.

Dimple Thakkar
Owner & Impresario of SYNHERGY ENTERTAINMENT
www.synhergyentertainment.com
@dimplethakkar
@synhergyent

Tags: 4g, Android, applications, apps, Droid, evo, gadget, Gadgets, htc, iphone, killer, mobile, phone, screen, smart, smartphone, sprint, touch
Posted in All Chapters, Los Angeles | No Comments »

Tripping.com was the winner of our first Vator.tv and GIT AMPLIFY Business Pitch competition!

Thirteen startups competed in last week’s Amplify business pitch competition, but there could only be one winner and Tripping.com was it!  Jen O’Neal, co-founder and CEO, won two iPads and the glorious bragging rights to being the first winner. Tripping was founded in 2009 and launched at the beginning of the year.  It is a free service however, they do offer premium memberships and brings in additional revenue through co-brand licensing fees, and partner-based revenue shares.

Tripping is a global network of travelers who believe cultural exchange makes the world a better place. Our members connect with each other for travel tips, shared cups of coffee and even home stays. Tripping is safe, free and good for the world. The concept takes Airbnb to another level. Instead of couch surfing or renting someone’s apartment, Tripping can get you into a local house party or enable you to practice speaking the language over a cup of coffee!

Tripping offers both Travelers and Local Hosts to connect and experience traveling like you’ve never done before. It allows you to have an intimate connection with the culture, the people, and to learn more about the country you are visiting.

Travelers: Step off the beaten tourist path and connect with great local people, all over the world. You’ll feel welcome everywhere you go and you’ll return home with far more than photos and crinkled maps.

Local Hosts: Not going anywhere for a while? Become a local host and meet travelers who are visiting your city. In an instant, your life will become more colorful and you’ll get to experience the world without ever packing a bag.

Congrats Tripping.com! The girls at Girls in Tech can’t wait to use your service the next time we roam around Europe, Asia, Africa and beyond!

Posted in All Chapters, All Chapters | No Comments »

Happy early Thanksgiving!  

On behalf of the entire advisory board of Girls in Tech LA, I have to say how incredibly thankful we are for the amazing support we’ve received from you. Our last event, the #TechTrends2011 panel, sold out and received over 50,000 views on Justin.TV. It was an incredible evening, and you can watch it in full any time here.

We’re also thankful for the many wonderful events we have coming up in the next few weeks. Tomorrow, New Media Vault is hosting a fantastic pre-T-Day meetup at Libertine in Hollywood. Admission is free if you bring a toy or a non-perishable food item, and you’ll be able to network with some of LA’s best and brightest. Plus, you could even win a free turkey — although not nearly as free as the turkey Obama will be pardoning tomorrow. Either way, RSVP for the 730pm party here.

If you don’t get a chance to give back with New Media Vault, consider stopping by Gobble Gobble Give at the Echo on Sunset between 10am and 1pm on Thursday to help hand out food to those in need.

Also, make sure to mark your calendar for Career Opportunities in Digital Entertainment on December 2 at 11am in Santa Monica. This panel, hosted by Santa Monica College Office of Workforce and Economic Development, Insight 3.0 and The Executive Alliance Group, features a great lineup of speakers from all sides of the digital entertainment spectrum and admission is free. RSVP here.

Making the shopping rounds this week? Don’t forget to pick up some toys for the Nog & Noggins Toy Drive on December 8, hosted by our friends at Lalawag and Border Stylo.

And, be sure to stop by WITI’s Digital Family Reunion, also on December 8. This annual event is an LA tech tradition, and you can get $20 off admission by using the GIT LA discount code DFR09.

As always, you can stay up to date on these and all the other GIT LA news on Twitter and Facebook.

Posted in Los Angeles | No Comments »

Every once-in-a-while I get this warm and fuzzy feeling, which sometimes revolves around Peanuts ®, the quirky cartoon developed by Charles M. Schulz in the 1950′s, after he was released from the Army. By 1975, the Peanuts comic strip was featured in approximately 1,500 US and 175 foreign newspapers with 90,000 readers. Without even realizing it, Schulz was creating a movement.

Even as an adult, I still enjoy watching cartoons such as A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and the Charlie Brown’s Christmas Special during the holidays. Peanuts reminds me of the beauty of the simple things in life and continues to provide me with hours of laughter and smiles.

So, at this point you may be wondering why I would write a blog entry on Peanuts and the beauty of the simple things in life on the Girls in Tech blog. Well, after checking out their website for photos (of Linus and his blankie) and Woodstock memorabilia (yes, you read correctly – I heart Woodstock), I started to notice how Schulz incorporated technology into his comic strips.

Not only were his characters cute and funny, they were also smart and tech-savvy. Whether it was Lucy utilizing her projector to view photos, Snoopy working diligently on his computer, or the TV being a central fixture on several comic strips or on broadcast, Schulz understood the power and evolution of technology and integrated it into the character’s daily lifestyles for this reason.

Technology is all around us, even in cartoons originating in the 1950′s – now, the big question is how can we get the “simple things in life” to live in harmony with the fast-paced, high frequency technology world? For starters, I will download the Peanuts iTunes app to get a little dose of laugher at my fingertips, every day.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peanuts

http://peanuts.com/

Tags: Adriana Gascoigne, Charles M. Schulz, Peanuts, Snoopy, Tech-savvy cartoons, technology, Woodstock
Posted in All Chapters | 2 Comments »

After 2 intense weeks of preparation and preliminaries, 14 finalists later, and pitches heard in front of our esteemed judges all day today:  A winner was chosen!  Girls in Tech and Vator.tv put on their first AMPLIFY Business Pitch Competition and Conference today at Microsoft Labs.  The ladies gave their pitches in three categories: enterprise, consumer, and enterprise + consumer.  Our panel of judges critiqued the pitches and CEO’s, on the spot after their presentations.  And much was learned by both participants and attendees.

Here is a rundown of our finalists:

In the Consumer Products category, startups who will be pitching include:

Shoppista.com: a boutique shopping community that brings shoppers and merchants together in an online marketplace.  The marketplace features products ranging from clothes and home décor to accessories and wine.

Marriage.com: a service network that connects wedding professionals and engaged couples.  The Marriage.com platform allows wedding professionals (planners, caterers, etc.) to create their own customized micro-sites with their own unique URLs, and engaged couples can find quality local wedding professionals and receive tips and advice.

Everloop: a social networking site for “tweens” aged 8-13.  The site ensures that young Web users can socialize, play games, and collaborate on projects in a protected and private online space.  Essentially a Facebook or MySpace for kids, the site’s privacy protection and monitoring features keep its young users from sharing information with people outside of their private social loops.

Micromobs: a September Vator Splash finalist, Micromobs allows users to create private online social circles, as opposed to the all-or-nothing Facebook dilemma, where your parents might see a status update and pictures meant only for your friends.  Users can use the site for anything from casual discussion threads to planning trips and staying connected with groups and organizations.

Rrripple: a social networking site for kids, teachers and parents.  The site offers an intuitive timeline-based interface that allows for private group sharing so that users can control the media that they share.  Teachers can use the site to upload lesson plans, lecture notes, supporting materials, and can engage with their students.

In the Enterprise category, competing startups include:

Loudsauce: a crowd-funding advertising platform that allows Web users to contribute small amounts of money to support ads for social causes.  For a minimum contribution of $15, users can get ads for their favorite organizations on television, magazines, billboards, and more.

Wild Webbies: a self-described “triple bottom line” green, educational, and social site for kids.  Modeled on popular animal-themed tween sites Webkinz and Club Penguin, Wild Webbies features educational games based around the idea of protecting the environment and saving endangered species.

TigerTrade: a business-to-business website that helps international firms connect and manage their businesses in developing world markets.  Through the TigerTrade website, firms can build profiles, showcase their products, and connect with international buyers.

CovetedList.com: a digital media and e-commerce learning platform that acquires and manages data on user purchases and marketing.  CovetedList.com focuses on providing behavior market research to its clients.

MOBI-PAL.com: described as an automated mobile teller, MOBI-PAL allows users to use the app as a mobile ATM.  By partnering with merchants, MOBI-PAL allows users to withdraw funds from their banks using their mobile devices, with the merchant’s cash register being used as the cash dispenser.  Electronic tender is issued in the form of a barcode and a transaction number, allowing shoppers to purchase goods without having to stop at an ATM or dig around for a credit card.

MyDemocracy: a personalized, non-partisan political portal that gives American Web users the opportunity to connect with elected officials quickly and easily.  With one click, users can access the right elected official, communicate according to Capitol Hill protocol, and make sure that they are doing so at the most effective times, such as when bills are being voted on.

And, last but not least — The last one standing:  Our winner:

Tripping

Tripping is a travel-based social networking site that connects travelers, known on the site as Trippers, with locals, known as Hosts.  The service offers Trippers the chance to gain a richer, more nuanced travel experience while Hosts can show off their communities.  Hosts might offer travel tips, advice on where to get the best food, or even open up their homes to Trippers.

Congratulations to Tripping and its CEO & Co-founder, Jen O’Neal!

We’d like to thank the following sponsors, and especially Second Market for donating our prizes.

We’d also like to thank Microsoft BizSpark for hosting us in their San Francisco office.  No matter your startup, BizSpark can provide you with software, support, and visibility to help make you more successful.  If you’re building a phone app don’t miss out on the excitement surrounding Windows Phone 7!  Click here for more information on BizSpark or Windows Phone 7, or emailjacob.mullins@microsoft.com.”

Special thanks also go out to our judges & speakers including: Esther Dyson, Eric Reis, and Cathy Brooks and everyone at Vator.tv who helped put this event together!

Posted in All Chapters, San Francisco, Silicon Valley | 1 Comment »

The Girls in Tech community has struck gold with blissmo. A perfect formula of savings, social awareness and convenience, blissmo connects savvy shoppers with quality sustainable organic products and services from leading businesses through weekly discounts of up to 50%. Their mission is to promote sustainable consumption for a happier, healthier people and planet.

The blissmo product was developed by serial entrepreneur and social activist Sundeep Ahuja on the premise that humans need to consume in a way that’s sustainable and in harmony with our environment and body. To start, they’re working with sustainable businesses and connecting them with shoppers wanting to vote sustainable with every dollar they spend.

This week’s Saver is a refreshing change of pace from the same old, same old. Literally. That’s because when you order a basket of goodness from Odacité’s line of organic products, you’re getting skincare products free of toxic chemicals, packed with antioxidants and, best of all, made fresh to order specifically for you. Fantastic for sensitive skin, this detox kit contains 5 products that will last for 30 days and retails at $69, but has a combined value of over $100.

Dozens of companies use organic ingredients, but only Odacité’s line of beauty products are sent with a Freshiency™ date. This means that every single one of Odacité’s great organic ingredients is bursting with natural potency and active nutrients.

If you’re a sustainable business wanting to connect with potential repeat customers, apply here.

*blissmo is a Girls in Tech-approved product!

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