Since 2006, WOMEN in SMART partner program has introduced international Female Entrepreneurs, Inventors, Scientists, Educators, and Industry Professionals, to unique business opportunities, training, resources, and contacts they need to successfully do business in SMART Communities, engage in STEM in Universities, and drive more girls to STEM in primary Schools.
 
The Women in SMART partners are female entrepreneurs, corporate executives, venture capitalists, angel investors, and attorneys interested in supporting their international female peers in their new market launch to help overcome the challenges they face in scaling, promoting, fundraising, and establishing their business in a new market. The Women in SMART network has emerged as an important driver for Women’s success, in accessing funding and launching a business in a new market.
 
To support international Women in their new market discovery and launch, the SMART Community Council USA launched Virtual Market Expansion USA for Women. This partnered learning and mentorship program is designed to help more Women enter and expand reach and operations in a new market, university, or primary school within the United States, U.S. Territories, and its allies.

Encouraging more Women-Owned companies to “DO BUSINESS in SMART Communities” has a big potential to grow the U.S. economy. More than 20 percent of employer businesses in the U.S. are owned by women, a figure critical to U.S. GDP. Supporting Women entrepreneurs and business owners is even more important today, after Covid-19 impacted the ability of women to compete economically.

The VME USA will empower Women by providing them access to the tools they need to pursue growth opportunities, transform communities, and create new businesses and jobs. Empowering Women to excel in business and entrepreneurship, will improve economic futures and quality of life of communities and families where SMART Women-Owned businesses operate.

Women entrepreneurs and business executives are now invited to apply for the VME USA Cohorts. These cohorts will connect Women with U.S. entrepreneurs and leaders from U.S. government, business, and academia committed to do business with Women-Owned businesses and provide Women access to market intelligence, skills training, and resources women need to land softly in a new market within the United States and U.S. Territories.

We invite you to participate with Women in SMART to meet community and business leaders committed to invest in SMART initiatives and projects, introduce yourself to your peers seeking to connect with you to share goals, expertise, technology, solutions, and services.