FedEx Strengthens WIN Lab^® Partnership to Support Emerging Women Leaders

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Ashley Lucas

Ashley Lucas refers to herself as a “recovering entrepreneur” after having spent the last nine years working in the startup space, as a founder, a co-founder, and a venture accelerator director. After launching and leading her own digital media company that took her through the MassChallenge accelerator in 2010, Ashley was recruited to co-lead a startup called The Welcoming Committee, a national events and travel company. There she helped grow a Boston-based community of 2,000 people into a membership base of 35,000 across ten cities. 12 employees, 300+ annual events, and a one million dollar investment raise later, she stepped away from the company to join the team at Babson's Center for Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership (CWEL). There, Ashley spearheads thought leadership, research, and program marketing efforts in order to disseminate critical information and opportunities that can help female founders reach their ultimate potential.

| November 28, 2018

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Exciting news for women entrepreneurs in Miami.

FedEx Corp. has agreed to contribute an additional $500,000 to support Babson College’s Miami Women Innovating Now (WIN) Lab^® to assist and encourage emerging women CEOs looking to create economic and social impact.

WIN Lab^®—a first-of-its-kind program helping women entrepreneurs launch successful businesses—was originally launched in 2013 in Boston by the Center for Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership (CWEL) at Babson College. In 2016, WIN Lab expanded to Miami thanks to the generous support of both FedEx Corp. and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

The partnership was celebrated November 8 at Miami WIN Lab’s annual Demo Night, a business showcase and pitch contest created to highlight emerging women CEOs and their startups across Miami. Speakers included Pam Johnson, program advisor, Global Entrepreneurship, Diversity and Inclusion, from FedEx; Rose Flenorl, manager of Global Citizenship from FedEx; and WIN Lab^® Director Michelle Abbs.

The event began with more than a dozen startups showcasing their products to the public, followed by the top teams pitching to a panel of esteemed judges, all competing for a package valued at more than $20,000.

Miami WIN Lab^® connects local Miami-area female founders with a diverse set of more than 80 experts for coaching, information sharing, and networking while offering weekly content sessions and access to strategic networks and co-working space.

As a global transportation company that works closely with entrepreneurs and small business owners, FedEx understands the importance of supporting such ventures, and the integral role entrepreneurs play in boosting the economy.

“FedEx is proud to enhance our support of the Babson College WIN Labin Miami,” said Jenny Robertson, vice president, FedEx Corporate Communications. “This is the third year that FedEx has sponsored the program, and we are excited to see the progress of the women entrepreneurs involved in the program. As part of our Global Entrepreneurship giving pillar, FedEx is working to advance women- and minority-owned small businesses globally, helping them access new markets and grow. The Miami WIN Lab program is proving to be one of the best philanthropic investments we can make to achieve that goal.”

“Meeting and getting to know these women entrepreneurs is inspirational to me,” said Pam Johnson, FedEx Global Citizenship advisor and project lead for the FedEx sponsorship. “These women never cease to amaze me with their innovation, creativity, and their determination to succeed. It’s very fulfilling to play a role in helping them reach their goals.”

“This incredibly generous gift from FedEx shows that the organization truly values inclusivity and understands the social and economic impact that women entrepreneurs can have locally and globally. FedEx has come to the table, once again, to ensure that Miami’s startup ecosystem will get that much closer to achieving gender parity, creating both a diverse and gender-inclusive city,” said WIN Lab Director Michelle Abbs.

Posted in Community

Tagged Campus, Women's Leadership

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