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On February 13, 2026, the NYU Leslie Entrepreneurial Institute and the Berkley Center for Entrepreneurship hosted the 7th Annual NYU Female Founders Forum, bringing together founders, investors, students, and operators from across the NYU community and beyond for an afternoon of connection and unfiltered conversations about building companies.

The Female Founders Forum once again demonstrated what makes the Female Founders community so powerful: a space where ambition and honesty coexist, and where the realities of entrepreneurship are discussed as openly as the wins.

Co-MCs Shay Gaskins, Associate Director of the Berkley Center for Entrepreneurship and Rebecca Silver, Director of the NYU Entrepreneurial Institute, set the tone for the day, bringing warmth and energy to the stage as they guided the audience through a dynamic program. Opening remarks from Cynthia Franklin, Director of the Berkley Center for Entrepreneurship and Jen Curtis, Associate Director of the Entrepreneurial Institute, grounded the Forum in its mission: building an entrepreneurial ecosystem where women founders are supported, celebrated, and equipped to lead. 

From the opening networking reception to the final Demo Day pitches, the room buzzed with conversation. Founders swapped lessons learned, students asked bold questions, and investors shared what they really look for. The energy was unmistakable: this was not just a celebration of entrepreneurship, but a space for real talk about what it actually takes to build.

A Candid Keynote on Building Through Highs and Lows

Keynote speaker Elizabeth Cutler, co-founder of SoulCycle and Peoplehood, delivered a deeply personal and candid reflection on building a company while raising young children. Sharing stories from SoulCycle’s earliest days, she spoke about the emotional whiplash of entrepreneurship: “Highs are easy and lows are hard, and sometimes they happen on the same day.”

Her stories from SoulCycle’s early days illustrated both scrappiness and resilience. With limited capital, complex partnerships, and enormous ambition, every decision carried weight and she learned hard lessons about deal-making. One of her most resonant lines captured the paradox of startup success: “May you all have the problem of a successful startup.” Growth brings opportunity, and it’s a gift, but it also brings pressure, tradeoffs, and moments where everything seems to demand your attention at once. There are more customers, more expectations and more responsibilities. 

Her message centered on sustainability and longevity, not just of companies, but of founders. Elizabeth emphasized building the founder’s internal infrastructure alongside the business itself. AKA - you must take care of yourself. What does that mean? Invest in your relationships. Seek coaching early. Create systems that give you space to think. As she framed it, the goal is to make your “well” deep enough to handle the demand. 

A Founder Panel Rooted in Pragmatism

• Caroline Vasquez Huber (Stern ’23), Co-CEO & Co-Founder, Jones

• Dana Levin-Robinson (Stern ’15), CEO & Founder, Upfront

• Helanah Warren (SPS ’26), Founder, Thrive by Design

Moderated by Stephanie Shyu, Berkley Center for Entrepreneurship

The Founders Panel continued the theme of clear-eyed optimism. Panelists emphasized nimbleness, early validation, and capital strategy. “You only need two to five people to validate your idea,” one founder shared, reinforcing that traction begins with real conversations with real users, not scale.

The conversation around equity was refreshingly direct. Founders spoke about raising from a position of strength rather than desperation and thinking carefully about ownership over time. Larger checks do not always mean giving up more control, and the path to Series A break-even requires intentional planning from the start. The key is understanding your long-term strategy before you are under pressure. 

The through line was confidence paired with discipline: be deliberate, know your leverage, and build with intention from day one.

Building Brand, Community, and Enduring Energy

In a fireside chat moderated by Drew Lederman with Melissa Mash, co-founder of Dagne Dover, shared insights on building a lasting brand. Her message centered on community, curiosity, and sustained energy.

“You have to give customers a reason to come,” she noted, emphasizing that brand loyalty is earned through connection. From early presales that validated demand to in-person activations across the country, Dagne Dover built momentum by bringing customers into the process. Their first $40,000 in presales did more than provide capital. Creating personal touchpoints created advocates and investing in the people who tell your story is how that happens.

Dagne Dover’s early success was fueled by deep engagement, from presales that validated demand to in-person activations that brought the brand to life. Melissa also highlighted the importance of asking better questions, listening to customers thoughtfully, and knowing when feedback signals a true product shift versus noise. Avoid vague “would you buy this?” conversations and instead seek specific, targeted feedback that reveals real behavior. And when the product sells out? That is data, not disappointment. Lean into it.

Her advice to founders was simple but powerful: never let the energy die and put yourself out there. Community building is not a marketing tactic. It is a long-term strategy.

Inside the Investor Mindset

• Terri Burns (Courant ’16), Founder & General Partner, Type Capital
• Roslyn Jin (Stern ’21), Partner, Antler VC
• Silvia Garcia Codony, Associate VP, New York Ventures

Moderated by Azade Hosseini, PhD (Stern ‘28) Venture Associate, Leslie Entrepreneurial Institute & NYU Innovation Venture Fund  

The Investors Panel provided an honest look at venture capital dynamics. Rejection is part of the job. The key is resilience and grace. You will hear a lot of nos before you hear yes,” one investor noted, emphasizing the importance of maintaining relationships even after a pass. Today's no can become tomorrow’s inbound. 

In discussing market size, investors challenged founders to move beyond templated TAM slides and instead articulate a credible vision for how their company could become transformative at scale. The question is not just how big the market is today, but how the business could evolve into something meaningfully large in the future. It’s more about the vision than the market size overall. 

n a conversation about AI, investors urged founders to differentiate through human creativity, earned insight, and authentic storytelling. In a world where tools are increasingly accessible, originality and conviction matter more than ever.

Demo Day: Clarity, Conviction, and Community Choice

The Forum concluded with Demo Day, where founders pitched ventures across industries to a live audience. Awards such as Audience Choice and Most Investable recognized not only strong storytelling and polished decks, but clarity of need, clear problem statements, thoughtful fundraising strategy, and a credible path to execution.

The pitches reflected what the day had reinforced: compelling startups are built on real problems, real needs, disciplined strategy, disciplined thinking and founders willing to put one foot in front of the other, again and again, even when the path is uncertain. 

Looking Ahead

Yanaiya Jain (Gallatin '28) wrapped the day with closing remarks reflecting on the continue growth of thie female founders community here at NYU. One message stood out: entrepreneurship is rarely linear, often overwhelming, and deeply rewarding. It’s simultaneously exhilarating and exhausting. It requires resilience, self-awareness, community, and a willingness to keep going through uncertainty.

The Female Founders Forum continues to be a space where those realities are embraced and not glossed over. A space where founders can celebrate wins, confront challenges, and leave with sharper thinking and stronger connections. Where the next generation of founders can see both what is possible and what it truly takes.

Stay tuned for additional highlights featuring Elizabeth Cutler and Melissa Mash in upcoming posts.