GET INVOLVED
If you are interested in getting involved as a mentor, instructor, or investor, please fill out this form.
If you are interested in volunteering with the operating committee, please fill out this form.
If you are interested in participating in the fourth cohort as a founder, please email us at projecttwoeight@columbiaventurecommunity.com.
MISSION
The name, Project 2.8, was chosen in 2020 because it represented the percentage of female-founded companies funded by VCs. That number has since diminished. Our mission is to ensure female founders have equal access to capital and the same opportunities as their male counterparts.
AT A GLANCE
Project Two.Eight provides female founders access to early-stage startup support. Intended to support new and current founders, we offer a proprietary program that helps entrepreneurs through the earliest stages of creating a company.
We select early-stage companies that have a viable business idea, with proof of concept as well as a competitive differentiation analysis. Our goal is to prepare our founders for investment.
Project Two.Eight offers weekly courses, monthly events, mentorship and networking opportunities for female founders with high-opportunity business ventures.
The program cumulates in a pitch event, where participants demonstrate the accumulated progress and growth of their venture to a panel of potential investors.
When to Apply
Our application to participate in the 4th cohort is now open! Please apply here!
The selection process for founders is competitive. Historically, we have capped the number of students in each cohort to ensure equal participation for every accepted student.
We have a rolling application process, with screening completed by a committee. If you are selected in the initial review we will reach out to you for an interview.
2023 TIMELINE
May 1, 2023
Application Opens
May 31-July 31, 2023
Applications Close
Cohort Interviews Conducted
Invites Sent
September 16, 2023
First day of 4th Cohort
November 8, 2023
Tentative Pitch Day
Who Can Apply?
To be eligible to apply, you must:
Have an evaluated idea for a business, OR Be the (co-)founder of a new business venture.
Be an alumna of one of the colleges within Columbia University.
We accept pre-seed and early-stage startups from all industries.
Contact
If you have any other questions, please email us at projecttwoeight@columbiaventurecommunity.com.
Get to know some of the startups from past cohorts.
Financial Technology (FinTech) Startups
Wallet Max: Maximizing sustainable financial rewards, while promoting economic inclusion for women and underbanked communities.
Lightswitch: Smart card for subscriptions that pauses payment on your subscription services until the next time you need them.
Analytics & Data
DivySci Software: Analytics tool for leaders to identify ineffective communication within their teams that hinder collaboration and agile innovation
B2C & Direct to Consumer (DTC) Startups
Argos & Artemis: Dog parent community with science-backed pet grooming line designed and made by experts in beauty and pet care.
Curbicus: Clean, compostable solution for dog waste for urban pet parents
WellMiss: Inclusive wellness brand of nature-infused skincare and supplements
Healthcare Startups
ASD 123: Interactive platform targeting areas of deficits for children with autism with a focus in the area of voice
Naima: Virtual care platform for women in their journey of motherhood
THIMBLE (powered by Achelon): Pain and anxiety-reducing products designed for needle procedures
REMEDY Online therapy and mental health.
Marketplace & Platform Startups
CareersKitchen: Digital and gamified career development program empowers early professionals to find and pursue their ideal career for success and happiness at work.
City Scanner: B2B mobile navigation app and tech platform providing better mobility experiences for cyclists, two-wheelers and other vulnerable road users.
Marengo: Connects clients with coaches, both for personal goal setting and attainment as well as executive coaching for leaders
Multipliciti: Connects building project teams with material suppliers to streamline design and procurement
Folio Tailored travel guides providing recommendations and itineraries.
Legal Startups
ATTIGOR: Legal services and business consultancy to individuals and organizations in the global art world
Social Network Startups
Blink: Audio-first blind speed dating app that helps people build meaningful connections based on genuine compatibility.
Remee: Annonymous microblogging platform aiming to eliminate social media anxiety for Gen-Z college students
Sustainability Startups
GreenPortfolio: Use your personal finances to fight climate change
PRIOR COHORT PARTICIPANTS
TEAM
Project Two.Eight is designed and led by a group of committed volunteers.
Lisa Smith -Co-Director. Lisa is the CEO and founder of Moving On Productions, (TrAnscrIbed) a captioning and subtitling company. She graduated from Columbia University with a degree in Political Science and then worked as a journalist, writer, and television producer before completing her MBA. Immediately afterward she started her business as a solopreneur and in the ensuing ten years has expanded to a team in the Philipines and the United States. Her experiences, and the obstacles along the way, have made her passionate about supporting other female founders in their startup journey. She regularly mentors and advises entrepreneurs. She also founded a nonprofit, Enable Mothers, which supports single mothers with an opportunity gap in obtaining remote jobs.
Céline Gauchey-Co-Director. Céline is a graduate student at Columbia University studying Computer Science. Prior to beginning her masters, she was a software engineer at JPMorgan Chase & Co for three years. She graduated from Barnard College in 2019 with a double major in Economics and Psychology. During her time at Barnard, Céline held internships at various venture capital firms and startup accelerators, including the Techstars IoT Accelerator, NextGen Venture Partners, and Founder.org. She also spent a summer interning in the fashion department of ELLE Magazine. While at Columbia, she was a part of the Columbia Economics Society and Columbia University American Red Cross Chapter executive boards. Céline is originally from San Francisco and is currently based in New York City.
Angela Nethery, Founder Lead is a graduate of Columbia Business School and currently works at Mercury Capital where she is responsible for researching, screening, and evaluating potential venture investment opportunities. Prior to attending graduate school, she worked at various start-ups and banking institutions where she developed a passion for finance and helping founders with building their start-ups. She also served in the United States Air Force for four years. Angela currently resides in the New York City area with her Husband, Brian, and their son, Theo.
Emily Lauren Burg, Instructor Lead, is a two-time founder, tech company startup advisor, and growth strategist with Wall Street roots and two master's degrees. She has provided on-air commentary on M&A and the stock market for CNN and CNBC and has integrated that expertise into her work building and scaling companies. Emily is the former president and current member of the board of the Columbia Alumni Association of Southern California,and the former chair of CVC Los Angeles.
Jessica Meksavan, Event Coordinator and Workshop Co-lead, is a seasoned finance leader with over fifteen years of finance and strategy experience at different financial institutions and tech companies, covering multiple industries. She has proven leadership in financial modeling and forecasting, credit risk management, capital markets strategies, investments and synthesizing it for executives. She is currently Head of Finance and Operations at Kea AI and in this role, she manages and owns all aspects of finance, from the operational to the legal to the compliance to the strategic aspects. She resides in San Francisco with her husband and two kids.
Angela Peijie Yu, Operations Lead, recently graduated from Columbia University where she majored in Economics and French. During her time at Columbia, she was deeply involved in entrepreneurial and technology organizations such as Columbia Organization of Rising Entrepreneurs, Data Product Initiative, and Columbia Venture Community. Since December 2020, Angela has been working closely with Columbia Venture Community as Member Insights Lead, a role that allows her to develop insights into CVC’s membership base and member needs. Deeply passionate about building and scaling products, she has extensive project and internship experience working with startup founders and non-profit organizations. Currently, Angela is part of the business development team at echo3D, a tech startup in NYC building tools and infrastructure for AR/VR developers.
Orcun Dogmazer, Workshop Co-Lead, is a Fulbright Scholar studying International Affairs at Columbia SIPA with a particular focus on development. He graduated from Koc University in Istanbul with a degree in Economics and International Relations. During undergrad, he co-founded a digital marketing SaaS and engaged in various community-building activities, mostly through his podcast series. Before joining Columbia University, he worked as an analyst in a global development firm working to advance the SDG agenda. He has prior experience in product, growth & e-commerce and is an alumnus of the Turkish Entrepreneurship Foundation.
Shashi Srikantan founded Project Two.Eight in 2020. Shashi is an investor at Level Up Ventures, where she heads the Venture Lab and invests in early-stage, tech-enabled startups led by Black and Latinx founders. The mission of Level Up is to help close the racial wealth gap in under-resourced communities through private sector investment and community-focused initiatives. Shashi is well-versed in sustainable finance and ESG-related themes, and her interests lie in identifying and supporting those companies working on solutions to societal or environmental challenges. Shashi earned her B.S. in Finance from Villanova University and her M.B.A. from Columbia Business School and is New York-based.