Creating More Funding, Influence,
& Women-Led Companies
Women On Boards Registry
One of the key initiatives of Women Leaders of Octane is to get more women on public company boards. In an effort to form connections and relationships that would allow qualified women candidates to join boards, Women Leaders of Octane has created a registry.
Women Leaders of Octane
The purpose of Women Leaders of Octane (WLO) is to grow the strength and impact of the OC innovation ecosystem by increasing the ranks of women entrepreneurs and business leaders, access to funding, and more influence on Boards, fueled by Octane networks and resources.
Women remain underrepresented among entrepreneurs. This problem extends to the amount of funding given to women entrepreneurs and those who are elevated to the C-Suite. Women Leaders of Octane exists to advocate for women’s position in the workforce.
WLO meets virtually every quarter. Sign up below to get involved!
We are growing the innovation ecosystem by increasing women entrepreneurs & leaders’ access to funding & influence on Boards.
Delivering Measurable Results
By leveraging volunteer leadership and results-oriented strategies, we intend to make a difference and deliver measurable results. Check out the four pathways we are working on now.
More Women-Led Startups
We want to increase the number of women-owned and operated companies in SoCal by encouraging more women to take advantage of Octane’s leading Accelerator, LaunchPad SBDC.
Refer women-owned/operated companies to LaunchPad SBDC today.
More Funding
We want to increase the opportunities and dollars invested in women-owned and operated companies in SoCal.
More Networking & Resources
We want to support women in their business and career development by improving access to world-class resources and power networking opportunities.
Help us succeed by sharing your expertise with our impact-driven companies.
More Women on Boards
We want to improve the diversity of and increase the influence of women on public and private boards here and across the country.
Are you looking for women for your board?
A Glimpse of Women Leaders of Octane
Women Leaders of Octane meets quarterly to check in on progress and provide updates from each initiative area.
Each meeting also features a Spotlight Thought Leader who shares their journey. View the video to hear from Betsy Berkhemer Credaire on Increasing Women on Boards.
FoundHERS is a new program designed to accelerate the growth of women-led and founded companies.
Offered by Women Leaders of Octane, FoundHERS is a cohort approach with subject matter experts in Goto-Market, IP, Marketing, pitch deck development, and investor presentation skills at NO-COST for eligible startup companies. Interested to learn more? Email info@octaneoc.org.
Events Search and Views Navigation
October 2022
Octane / Insperity Webinar: Recession, Inflation, Business realities – what they mean to your employees and your profits
Join Octane and Insperity for a live webinar on Wednesday, October 12th at 8AM PST. Tough times don't last; tough people do. In business, tough means resilient, adaptable, strategic, and focused on a vision. Unfortunately, the news lately has been ominous, and the economy, the stock market, and the supply chain are all telling us there might be a storm approaching. This webinar will discuss things you, as a business owner or leader, can do to shore up your people…
Find out more »Women Leaders of Octane Quarterly Meeting – October 2022
RSVP Here Please join Women Leaders of Octane for our virtual quarterly meeting, Wednesday, October 19th from 12 - 1 pm PST, featuring Spotlight Thought Leader, Caren Mason, President and Chief Executive Officer at STARR Surgical. In addition to our thought leader, our committee chairs will share progress reports. Our Committees and Committee Chairs: Creating Women-led Businesses & LaunchPad Committee – Marinela Gombosev, SPARK Neuro Funding Committee – Delilah Panio, Toronto Stock Exchange Women on Boards Committee – Joyce Averna, JP…
Find out more »WLO Workshop: Women on Corporate Boards
Join us at for a Women Leaders of Octane interactive workshop part of Octane's Medical Innovation Forum taking place October 27-28 at the Irvine Marriott! You must be registered for the forum to attend this free workshop. Register first for Octane's Medical Innovation Forum here. Once registered for the Forum, to attend the Women On Boards Workshop you can sign up here>> Women on Corporate Boards: What it’s Like, How to Prepare & How To Do It Thursday, October 27…
Find out more »November 2022
Webinar: Thinking of Opening a US Branch Office? US Work Visa Options
Setting up a business in the USA can be quite exciting. But there are also many challenges. In-depth market research and planning can minimize the risks. Join Mitch Wexler, Managing Partner, Fragomen as he discusses US Work Visa Options. This will go over the more common visa options that you should consider, their timelines, eligibility requirements, challenges and the application process for each. Register Here>>
Find out more »January 2023
Women Leaders of Octane Quarterly Meeting – January 2023
RSVP Here Please join Women Leaders of Octane for our virtual quarterly meeting, Wednesday, January 18th from 12 - 1 pm PST, featuring Spotlight Thought Leader, Anastasia Williams, The A List. In addition to our thought leader, our committee chairs will share progress reports. Our Committees and Committee Chairs: Creating Women-led Businesses & LaunchPad Committee – Marinela Gombosev, SPARK Neuro Funding Committee – Delilah Panio, Toronto Stock Exchange Women on Boards Committee – Joyce Averna, JP Morgan Private Bank Resources &…
Find out more »Open House/New Year Social
Hosted in Octane's new office space! 4041 MacArthur Blvd, 1st Floor Atrium, Newport Beach, CA 92660 Co-hosted by Sustain Socal and Lincoln Property Company Register here: https://register.octaneoc.org/social2023
Find out more »FoundHERS Preview Program
FoundHERS is a new training program to serve Women-led start-ups led by Women Leaders of Octane a leading advocacy organization that provides Women Founders with access to capital, networking, and influence on Boards. Octane hosts one of the top business accelerators in the nation. Through our cohort approach, you will meet subject matter experts, develop a winning pitch deck, and hone investor presentation skills. This is a no-cost program. We are hosting a zoom event on Thursday, January 19th from 8:30 AM -…
Find out more »Next Wave Founder’s Circle January Program
Join Octane and our Next Wave Founder’s Circle for a program featuring Asante Cleveland, podcast host and former pro-football player on January 19th 5-6:30pm at LCAD Gallery. During this session, Asante will talk about his background, upbringing and how it shaped him to where he is today. He will also discuss the importance of arts, culture and diversity as it relates to sport and growth on and off the field. The program will be interactive, where we will encourage you to ask questions as…
Find out more »Aesthetics Technology Forum 2023
The 2nd Annual Aesthetics Technology Forum will be held at the Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach. This event will bring together leading physicians, industry, and entrepreneurs to discuss groundbreaking medical aesthetic technologies as well as unmet clinical needs and new business opportunities. Join leaders in the aesthetics field to examine how they fuel innovation in the medical aesthetic industry in Southern California. Learn more here.
Find out more »February 2023
Octane Webinar: Employment Law Update 2023
It is time for Octane's annual Employment Law Update. The laws on COVID in the workplace have been loosened, but the Legislature and local governments continue to enact new laws that impact most employers in other areas. One major development is a new California law requiring most employers to publish pay scales for every job posting and to file annual reports of pay data broken down by sex and ethnicity. This law goes hand in hand with other amendments that…
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