Gainesville startup helping women inventors get started

Sometimes we get great business ideas in our heads but we never quite know how to get the ball rolling. Well, one Gainesville start up gives women inventors a space and the resources to begin their business venture.

On this Tech Tuesday, TV20 met with a collaborator for women who want to start a business in the tech industry.

"Across the country as well as in Florida and in Gainesville, the number of women starting growth vetures is relatively small compared to the number of men starting growth ventures," said Nola Miyasaki, executive director of the Collaboratory for Women Innovators.

The Collaboratory for Women Innovators is a space for women who need a little help getting their feet wet in the tech industry.

"I don't think i would have has the initiative or the courage to go on my own," said Julie Johnson, founder of a tech website called Lightswap.

Through the collaboratory, women have the opportunity to take part in a ten week training program called EWITS -- empowering women in technology start ups.

"Once you really get into the program, all of these women are so helpful and so intelligent, and you're all working towards this goal," said Johnson, "And I really enjoyed that and I think that was the true spark to take what I learned from EWITS and actually start my own company."

By utilising programs through the Collaboratory, these women hope to combat the staggeringly low statistics of women in tech and leadership positions...this record breaking year, 6.4% of fourtune 500 CEOs were women...an all time high.

"Having one woman on a board or one woman in a room is good," said Kathy Sohar, the assistant director of the Collaboratory, "You really have to start getting more...three or more to start having an influence so that you're not just a single voice of that perspective."

And at the collaborator, these women just want to see each other succeed.

"Don't sit on a dream, go for it, because there are people who are willing to help you succeed," said another woman.