On September 21^st, 2023, in conjunction with the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, the Women’s Entrepreneurship Accelerator (WEA) organized a high-level event titled “Inclusive Capital: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs on a Global Scale” bringing together leaders to spotlight this critical issue for women entrepreneurs. 

The event was organized in collaboration with WEA-participating UN agencies; UN Women, International Telecommunication Union, International Trade Centre, UN Global Compact, International Labour Organization, UN Development Programme; Mary Kay, Yildiz Holding, and Women Entrepreneurs Act initiative (WE Act) of the Women20 (G20/W20) countries.

In 2022, companies founded solely by women garnered just 2.1% of the total capital invested in venture-backed startups in the US.  Globally, women entrepreneurs face a US $1.7 trillion finance gap limiting their potential to add an estimated US $5-6 trillion in economic value to the economy. 

The event provided an opportunity for all stakeholders within the women’s entrepreneurship ecosystem to discuss women’s challenges to access finance, emphasize the importance of inclusive investing, and generate institutional and corporate commitments to better serve women businesses through applying a gender-inclusive lens to their decision-making.

Major stakeholders from the World Bank (WE-FI), OECD, ITU, UNDP, UNGC, G20/W20, women's business organizations, BPW (Business and Professional Women) and FCEM (Femmes Chefs d’Entreprises Mondiales), Global Invest Her, converged to explore innovative avenues of collaboration, propelling the cause of women's entrepreneurship to new horizons. 

Moderated by Virginia Littlejohn, Global Coordinator of the Women Entrepreneurs Act initiative (WE Act) of the Women20 (G20/W20) countries, the event also welcome Faatiha Aayat, young activist as a guest speaker and Nina Tandon, Founder and CEO of EpiBone, as keynote. 

In a resounding display of global solidarity and empowerment, the WEA event brought together 570 on-site attendees and hundreds virtually around the world.

The milestone event was followed by an invitation-only dinner held in the UN Delegates Dining Room supported by 1919 Investment Counsel where WEA was pitched to investors. 

You can re-watch the event here.

Mary Kay

Mary Kay

Then. Now. Always. One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her dream beauty brand in Texas in 1963 with one goal: to enrich women’s lives. That dream has blossomed into a global company with millions of independent sales force members in more than 35 countries. For 60 years, the Mary Kay opportunity has empowered women to define their own futures through education, mentorship, advocacy, and innovation. Mary Kay is dedicated to investing in the science behind beauty and manufacturing cutting-edge skincare, color cosmetics, nutritional supplements, and fragrances. Mary Kay believes in preserving our planet for future generations, protecting women impacted by cancer and domestic abuse, and encouraging youth to follow their dreams. Learn more at marykayglobal.com, find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or follow us on Twitter.

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