Karen Cahn has been named the first-ever entrepreneur-in-residence at Montclair State University.
“The entrepreneurial spirit is alive in New Jersey and I am so thrilled to be a part of it,” said Cahn, founder and CEO of iFundWomen and a Montclair resident since 2005. “With the Feliciano Center (for Entrepreneurship and Innovation)’s commitment to women entrepreneurship, this was a natural partnership with iFundWomen.”
After working as a former digital media executive at companies like Google, YouTube and AOL, Cahn founded iFundWomen in 2017 to provide early-stage entrepreneurs with access to capital through crowdfunding, grant research, coaching services, multimedia marketing and community partnerships.
Cahn said she created the startup fintech ecosystem in New York City to specifically help women-led startups and small businesses.
“Karen’s success not only as a media executive but also as an entrepreneur now focused exclusively on closing the funding gap for female founders makes her the perfect adviser to our student startups,” said Carly Graham Garcia, executive director of the Feliciano Center. “Furthermore, as an inaugural member of New Jersey’s Golden Seeds angel investing chapter, Karen is focused on growing our region to be an innovation hub, especially innovation led by women.
“She is the perfect addition to our expanding program.”
With the highest percentage of female students in a full-time MBA program at the Feliciano School of Business at MSU, the Feliciano Center created and manages Women Entrepreneurship Week, which was celebrated by more than 240 universities and colleges in 32 countries and 49 states in 2019.
Cahn, who spoke at the 2018 WEW Conference at MSU, will receive coworking space at the Feliciano Center while serving as a mentor for students, including winners of the Startup Montclair 2020 Pitch Contest, and advising those studying at the Feliciano School of Business.
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