Funding the Future: The (Super)Power of Female-Led Ventures
Join us for an exclusive oceanside gathering at one of Newport’s most iconic mansions to explore a trillion-dollar investment opportunity: female founders.
This special after-party event, timed to following the end of the Opal Family Office & Private Wealth Management Forum, brings together investors, entrepreneurs, and change-makers for an honest conversation about what’s changed—and what hasn’t—since last year’s standing-room-only screening of Show Her the Money.
Why attend?
Women-founded companies deliver higher ROI: Startups founded by women deliver more than twice the return per dollar invested—yet receive less than 2% of venture funding.
The opportunity is massive: Closing the gender funding gap could unlock over $1 trillion in economic value, according to studies from Morgan Stanley and BCG.
Family offices and high net worth individuals are uniquely positioned to lead this change—and benefit from first-mover advantage.
Enjoy a curated panel featuring returning speakers like Catherine Gray (producer, Show Her the Money) and pioneering women founders and fund managers. Mingle over cocktails, coastal views, and elevated small plates on a historic cliffside estate.
Let’s rethink where wealth is built—and who builds it.
Transportation from the forum provided. Capacity is limited. RSVP required.
Agenda
3:00 - 4:00 PM: Networking & Light Bites
4:00 - 4:45 PM: Opening Remarks & Panel Discussion
4:45 - 5:30 PM: Audience Q&A
5:30 - 6:00 PM: Closing Networking
Speakers & Panelists
Catherine Gray, Producer - Show Her the Money & CEO of SHE ANGELS investors
Ellen Rubin is a three-time founder and CEO with successful exits to AWS, Verizon, and a public market IPO at Netezza. She now serves as an Operating Partner at Glasswing Ventures and an independent board member at Allegion (NYSE: ALLE), bringing deep expertise in scaling enterprise AI and cloud startups. Widely recognized as a top woman in tech, she has built companies from idea to exit and champions the next generation of founders.
Cathy Lewenberg is a seasoned executive who led Drizly through its high-growth phase and $1.1 billion acquisition by Uber, then took the helm at Bevi to drive scaling, go-to-market innovation, and sustainability partnerships. With experience at CVS Health enhancing consumer-focused programs, she leverages cross-industry insights to elevate beverage-tech businesses.
Jennifer Lawton co-founded Net Daemons Associates, scaling it to Inc 500 and Deloitte Fast 500 recognition before selling it to Interliant in 1999, then led MakerBot as CEO through its major acquisition by Stratasys. Now COO at Techstars, she empowers hundreds of startups—many led by women—through mentorship and accelerator initiatives. A Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame inductee, she consistently champions inclusive, high-growth entrepreneurship.
Erynn Petersen is the founder and CEO of Emme, a women’s health software platform, after a 20-year tech leadership career including roles at Microsoft’s Kessel Run and DevSecOps for DoD. She is a prominent mentor and speaker focused on women’s representation in tech, candidly sharing her journey as often “the only woman in the room.” Her previous exit experience—including IPfolio—gives her deep insights into scaling tech companies with strong ROI potential .
Vanessa Alvarez is a product and go-to-market leader who has driven innovation at Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and Forrester, and co-founded the real estate tech startup Nexme, which achieved a successful exit. She is passionate about emerging technologies—from cloud and edge computing to AI and distributed systems—and brings that energy to market-defining roles across enterprise and startup ecosystems. A Forbes-featured voice in women in tech, Vanessa actively champions Latina leaders and diversity in innovation.
Opening Remarks by Annette Tonti, Managing Director at RIHUB and Co-chair of NEFF
Moderation by Melissa Bowley, CEO & Founder of Flourish Care, Co-chair of NEFF
About the Organizer:
NEFF
New England Female Founders (and those that support us) is a networking community and advocacy group created to support the founders of high-growth women-led businesses. NEFF exists to help female entrepreneurs connect, explore, and advocate for our future. We welcome all to attend our events and join our community. NEFF does not discriminate based on gender or gender identity, and welcomes participation from all people who are passionate about supporting women leaders.
Meet Our Sponsors:
RIHub
RIHub is a RI-based nonprofit that gives startups, entrepreneurs, and experts from a multitude of industries across the state, country, and globe the opportunity to think, collaborate, and execute — creating innovations that will benefit our community and change the world. So, are you ready to bring your idea to life?
Opal Group
Opal Group organizes premier conferences catered to top executives and decision makers throughout various industries. The Family Office & Private Wealth Management Forum has become Opal’s largest family office event in the world. Known for its rich history and magnificent mansions, Newport, RI attracts thousands of delegates each year. In the course of three days, family offices, private investors, and investment managers navigate their way through the choppy waters of the past recession, while continuing to explore the best ways to map out their portfolios. Discussions will cover a wide variety of investment topics including direct investing, impact investing, non-correlated assets, and many more.
By registering for this event you grant NEFF and its event collaborators permission to photograph and use my other media, such as film and quotations, on promotional material and content.