Innovation Takes Action at the 5th Annual Minority Women Lead Conference

On August 25th, over 130 attendees gathered in San Jose to witness innovation in action at the 5th Annual Minority Women Lead Conference presented by the California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce and National ACE 

California itself is home to more than 1.3 million women entrepreneurs. In fact, 89% of new businesses have been started by women of color since 2019. Even so, businesswomen of color continue to face barriers to funding. To encourage their perseverance, the Minority Women Lead provides a space where women of color from across business industries can connect and build their networks. 

Each year, the California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce and National ACE make space for minority women and their entrepreneurial visions at Minority Women Lead. This event brings female entrepreneurs of color together for an evening to celebrate their achievements and advance the next generation of minority women leaders. This year, the event also featured a live pitch competition where selected applicants pitched their projects to a panel of business innovators. A total of $40,000 in grant funding was awarded among five finalists. 

Comcast is dedicated to uplifting minority voices and is proud to have been a presenting sponsor for the Annual Minority Women Lead Conference. 

“Comcast recognizes the innovative contributions small businesses make to our country, both technological and personal,” said Lorena Hernandez, Director of Community Impact for Comcast California. “Through the Comcast RISE program, Comcast has supported more than 500 small businesses owned by women and people of color in California alone. The 5th Annual Minority Women Lead will provide a space that honors the resiliency of women-owned businesses, championing them with a pride that Comcast shares.” 

Interested in finding more ways to support women and BIPOC entrepreneurs? Visit the California RISE Map and Directory to find a small business near you.