Meet the startups vying for $10k from a DMV initiative for women founders

As the percentage of investments in women-founded businesses stagnates in the single digits, three such startups will soon compete for a five-figure, no-strings-attached grant. 

The Agora Initiative, a local organization helping women start and scale their businesses through various programs, received 73 applications for its annual challenge on May 7, said the organization’s cofounder Amelia DeSorrento. Those submissions from across DC, Maryland and Virginia were reviewed by a 30-person investor committee. 

This year, Maryland saw the most submissions at 43%. Virginia and DC boasted 34% and 23% of the entries, respectively, DeSorrento said. 

2024 was the first upturn for investments in women-founded firms since 2022. But startups founded by men still rake in more deals and capital.  

“These numbers aren’t going to change on their own,” DeSorrento previously wrote in a guest post for Technical.ly. “But we’ve seen what happens when founders get the right connections and support. Let’s make 2025 the year we move the needle.”

Keep scrolling to meet the founders taking part in the competition. 

• LymeAlert: Founded by Michelle Ewy and Erin Dawicki in 2024, the startup is building at-home tick tests for Lyme disease to help people detect exposure quickly. LymeAlert is headquartered in Halifax, Massachusetts and Springfield, Virginia. 
• Frontline Gig: Founded in 2022 in Baltimore, the company behind this AI-powered platform predicts hiring gaps and assigns job-ready technicians in the clean energy and skilled trades sectors. CEO Kala Fleming is in the competition for more than the funds.
  • “Beyond the prize, we’re here to find partners building the workforce for the trades of the future —t hose who recognize the urgency of connecting untapped talent to careers that strengthen communities,” Fleming told Technical.ly. “We’re ready to grow our ecosystem and scale our impact.”
• Ampere: As manufacturing grows in public relevance, DC’s Ampere offers a platform for those firms to evaluate electrification assets and financing. Skye Lawrence, who cofounded the company in 2023, said she’ll also use the competition to launch the beta version of the technology.