Two women entrepreneurs received a combined $20,000 through Curate’s inaugural New Orleans pitch competitions. Alicia Williams received $15,000 for Selah, while Aisha Abbasova earned $5,000 for ABBASAID. The three-day conference brought more than 200 women together for sessions covering entrepreneurship, leadership, technology, fundraising and professional development.
Key Takeaways
- Alicia Williams, founder of Selah, received the $15,000 Curate Women’s Pitch Competition award.
- Selah is developing an app focused on helping women understand and manage hormonal health.
- Aisha Abbasova, founder of ABBASAID, received $5,000 through the Student Pitch Competition.
- ABBASAID is developing an AI-powered seeing-eye cane for people with visual impairments.
- Curate’s first New Orleans conference attracted more than 200 women and included sessions on entrepreneurship, AI, fundraising, grants and leadership.
Curate Awards $15,000 to Selah Founder Alicia Williams
Alicia Williams, founder of Selah, received $15,000 through Curate’s Women’s Pitch Competition during the organization’s first New Orleans conference. The award was the larger of the two pitch prizes presented during the event.
Selah is developing an app focused on helping women understand and manage hormonal health. Williams’ business was selected for the Curate Women’s Pitch Competition, which formed part of the three-day conference in New Orleans.
The award placed women’s health technology alongside entrepreneurship within the competition. Selah’s focus is specifically on hormonal health, giving the company a direct connection to women’s health needs.
The $15,000 award was part of a combined $20,000 distributed through Curate’s two pitch competitions. The second award went to Aisha Abbasova, founder of ABBASAID.
The focus on women founders also connects with recent coverage of younger entrepreneurs developing businesses through digital platforms and independent ventures, including new approaches to leadership.
Curate’s New Orleans conference included activities focused on entrepreneurship and professional development. Sessions addressed areas including fundraising, grants, leadership and technology, providing the setting for the pitch competitions.
Student Pitch Competition Awards $5,000 to Aisha Abbasova
Aisha Abbasova, founder of ABBASAID, received $5,000 through Curate’s Student Pitch Competition. Her business is developing an AI-powered seeing-eye cane designed for people with visual impairments.
The award brought the total distributed through the two Curate pitch competitions to $20,000. Williams received $15,000 through the Women’s Pitch Competition, while Abbasova received $5,000 through the student competition.
ABBASAID’s product combines artificial intelligence with an assistive device. The seeing-eye cane is intended for people with visual impairments, giving the company a focus on accessibility technology.
Abbasova’s award also placed a technology-focused business within the conference’s entrepreneurship activities. The competition included an opportunity for a student entrepreneur to receive funding for a product designed around accessibility.
The two awards covered different areas of entrepreneurship. Selah is developing technology centered on women’s hormonal health, while ABBASAID is developing an assistive technology product for people with visual impairments.
Both founders received awards through competitions held as part of Curate’s first New Orleans conference. The event combined the pitch competitions with sessions addressing business and professional development topics.
Selah Develops Technology Focused on Women’s Hormonal Health
Selah’s business is centered on an app designed to help women understand and manage hormonal health. Alicia Williams founded the company and received the $15,000 award through Curate’s Women’s Pitch Competition.
The company’s focus gives the pitch competition a direct connection to women’s health. Its product is being developed around information and management related to hormonal health.
The Selah award was part of a conference that included sessions covering several areas of professional development. Curate’s New Orleans schedule included discussions involving entrepreneurship, leadership, fundraising, grants and technology.
Women founders working across health and business have also been featured in coverage of women leading health-focused businesses, providing additional context for the intersection of women’s leadership and health.
The pitch competition provided a financial award to Williams as she develops Selah. The $15,000 prize accounted for three-quarters of the combined $20,000 awarded through the two competitions.
The competition also placed women entrepreneurs at the center of an event that brought more than 200 women to New Orleans. The conference combined pitch opportunities with sessions addressing business and professional development.
ABBASAID Develops an AI-Powered Seeing-Eye Cane
ABBASAID, founded by Aisha Abbasova, is developing an AI-powered seeing-eye cane for people with visual impairments. Abbasova received $5,000 through Curate’s Student Pitch Competition.
The product gives the company a focus on assistive technology and accessibility. Its use of artificial intelligence is also consistent with technology sessions included in the Curate conference schedule.
Abbasova’s award represented the second portion of the $20,000 distributed through the two pitch competitions. The student competition award was separate from Williams’ $15,000 Women’s Pitch Competition prize.
The two winning businesses addressed different product areas. Selah is developing an app focused on women’s hormonal health, while ABBASAID is working on a cane designed for people with visual impairments.
Both founders received awards through competitions held as part of Curate’s first New Orleans conference. The event combined the pitch competitions with sessions covering business and professional development topics.
Curate New Orleans Conference Brings More Than 200 Women Together
Curate’s first New Orleans conference brought more than 200 women together for three days of sessions and activities. The schedule included topics such as entrepreneurship, leadership, technology, fundraising, grants and professional development.
The conference also included sessions addressing artificial intelligence and other areas relevant to the two businesses recognized through the pitch competitions. Selah is developing an app focused on women’s hormonal health, while ABBASAID is developing an AI-powered seeing-eye cane.
The pitch competitions provided direct financial awards to two founders. Williams received $15,000 through the Women’s Pitch Competition, and Abbasova received $5,000 through the Student Pitch Competition.
The combined $20,000 award total was distributed across the two competitions. The awards recognized businesses working in women’s health technology and accessibility technology.
The New Orleans conference therefore included both entrepreneurial competitions and educational sessions. More than 200 women participated in the three-day event, with activities covering business development, leadership, technology and professional skills.
The event’s leadership component also fits within recent coverage of women building and leading businesses, including a women-led agency growth story involving founders Isabella Gikher and Maria Castedo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who received the $20,000 in New Orleans pitch awards?
Alicia Williams and Aisha Abbasova received the combined $20,000. Williams received $15,000 for Selah, while Abbasova received $5,000 for ABBASAID.
How much did Alicia Williams receive from Curate?
Williams received $15,000 through Curate’s Women’s Pitch Competition. She is the founder of Selah, which is developing an app focused on women’s hormonal health.
What is Selah developing?
Selah is developing an app focused on helping women understand and manage hormonal health. The company was founded by Alicia Williams.
What is ABBASAID developing?
ABBASAID is developing an AI-powered seeing-eye cane for people with visual impairments. The company was founded by Aisha Abbasova, who received $5,000 through Curate’s Student Pitch Competition.
How many women attended Curate’s New Orleans conference?
More than 200 women attended Curate’s first New Orleans conference. The three-day event included sessions on entrepreneurship, leadership, technology, fundraising, grants and professional development.
