Queenmakers & Trailblazers: Meet Some of the Awe-Inspiring Women Speaking at Startup Boston Week 2025

Intelligent. Fearless. Savvy. Interesting. Creative. 

These are just a few of the words that describe the women shaping the future of the New England startup ecosystem. At Startup Boston Week 2025, we’re honored to welcome some of the region’s most fearless founders, sharpest investors and powerhouse operators to the stage.

Below, meet 18 of the remarkable women leaders joining us this September 8 - 12 at Suffolk University (and online!). They’ll be sharing insights, lessons learned, and real talk on everything from building inclusive ecosystems to scaling AI ventures and navigating strategic partnerships.

This list is just a glimpse, even more trailblazing women will be speaking throughout the week. So grab your free ticket, plan your schedule and get ready to be inspired.   

18 Influential Women Leaders Speaking at Startup Boston Week 2025

Cvic Innocent, General Partner, Frankenbuild Ventures, F(v)

About Cvic: Cvic Innocent is the Founder & GP of Frankenbuild Ventures. Dr Innocent is ex-NASA and brings extensive expertise in deep tech, hard tech, and prototype development. As GP, she previously served as an Investment Chair, as a Venture Partner with a focus on secondaries, & added to public policy in support of founders. She is listed as 1 of 25 national, women-led firms identified by Recast Capital and funded by Pivotal Ventures (a Melinda Gates company), gave her technical opinion at the United Nations, and was a Keynote for the Dept of Labor in Benin.

See Cvic at SBW2005: Cvic is speaking on a panel, Building the Future: How Robotics and Automation Are Changing Everything, on Tuesday, September 9.

Lucia Maffei, Technology Reporter, Boston Business Journal

About Lucia: Lucia Maffei covers the city’s bustling startup community, the ups and downs of the largest technology firms. Her work has also appeared on NPR, TechCrunch, BostInno and numerous Italian dailies. Lucia’s work for the Boston Business Journal has been recognized with multiple awards by the New England Better Newspaper Competition and has been awarded numerous media fellowships, including a 2024 National Press Foundation fellowship to attend the Wharton Seminars for Business Journalists at the University of Pennsylvania, a 2024 SABEW Xana Fellowship, and a 2022 CUNY Ravitch Reporting Program fellowship. 

See Lucia at SBW2005: Lucia is moderating the panel, Gut Feel or Game Plan? Mastering Early-Stage Due Diligence, on Friday, September 12.

Beth Porter, Head of Studio, C10 Labs

About Beth: Beth Porter is a serial entrepreneur, 3x founder, and tech strategy instructor with deep expertise in accelerating innovation. At C10 Labs as the Head of Studio, she leads and mentors founders in building high-impact applied AI ventures, bringing with her knowledge of product-led development, technical architecture, and AI, as well as a decade of founder experience. She has led product teams in every part of the value chain -- from early-stage university-based startups to complex Enterprise end-of-life wind-downs. 

See Beth at SBW2005: Beth is moderating the panel, More Than Money: Turning Portfolio Support into a Competitive Edge, on Friday, September 12.

Mimi Liu, Co-CEO, Doro Mind

About Mimi: For Mimi Liu, her mission is to make recovery the norm for people affected by serious mental illness. Mimi is the Co-CEO of Doro Mind, which provides compassionate, accessible, and dynamic care and support for individuals suffering from psychosis and their caregivers. Leading Doro Mind is a personal passion coming from supporting her brother’s journey with psychosis. Mimi’s also the former COO and CTO of Firefly Health, where she led operations and tech for delivering integrated primary care and behavioral health sciences. 

See Mimi at SBW2005: Mimi is speaking on a panel, AI at the Helm: Prototyping Smarter as a Product Manager, on Wednesday, September 10. 

Gail Goodman, Former CEO, Constant Contact and Current Board Chair, EforAll

About Gail: Gail Goodman spent 17 years as CEO of Constant Contact, the trusted provider of online marketing tools for small businesses and nonprofits. Gail led the company from pre-revenue to a successful IPO (NASDAQ: CTCT) in 2007 and through its acquisition by Endurance in 2016 for $ 1.1 billion.  At the time of the acquisition, more than 650,000 small businesses and nonprofits utilized Constant Contact’s online marketing tools to engage their customers and expand their businesses, with company revenues exceeding $375 million. 

Gail is a true believer in the power of entrepreneurship to transform lives and communities. She helps underserved entrepreneurs turn their dreams into reality through her work with EforAll as both a mentor and Board Chair.    

See Gail at SBW2005: Gail is speaking on a panel, Leveling the Field: Building an Inclusive Startup Ecosystem in Boston, on Thursday, September 11. 

Betty Francisco, CEO, Boston Impact Initiative

About Betty: Betty Francisco is a business executive, impact investor, and community leader with more than 24 years of experience. In 2022, Boston Magazine named Betty as one of the 100 Most Influential People in Boston, and the Boston Business Journal named her as a 2020 Power 50 – Extraordinary Year Extraordinary People honoree. She is the co-founder of Amplify Latinx, a social venture that’s building Latino economic and political power in Massachusetts. Before joining BII, Betty was the General Counsel at Compass Working Capital, where she oversaw its legal affairs, compliance, and risk management. She serves on the Boards of Directors of The Boston Foundation, Nellie Mae Education Foundation, Beth Israel Lahey Health, and Roxbury Community College. 

See Betty at SBW2005: Betty is speaking on a panel, Leveling the Field: Building an Inclusive Startup Ecosystem in Boston, on Thursday, September 11. 

Christina Pardy, Founder, Sh*t That I Knit/Christina Pardy Consulting

About Christina: Christina Pardy is an experienced founder with a history of working in the apparel and fashion industry. Her love of knitting brought her to start Sh*t That I Knit (STIK), a knitwear brand based out of Boston. All STIK products, which come from high-quality, sustainable materials, are made by a group of talented women in Lima, Peru. STIK is an official licensee of the NFL, as well as for Team USA during the 2022 Winter Olympics. After scaling her brand to the national stage in 2025, Christina now advises startups on growth and partnerships. 

See Christina at SBW2005: Christina is speaking on a panel, Founder Confessions: The Highs, Lows, and Rollercoaster Moments, on Tuesday, September 9.

Cait Brumme, CEO, MassChallenge

About Cait: Cait Brumme is the Chief Executive Officer of MassChallenge. Prior to stepping into the role of CEO, Cait Brumme was the Executive Vice President of Global Acceleration where she oversaw MassChallenge’s portfolio of accelerator programs and community efforts.  Prior to MassChallenge, Caitlin led the Impact Collaboratory at the Harvard Business School, a multi-faceted effort to develop world class academic leadership on the topic of “Investing in the 21st Century” including sustainable, ESG, and impact investing. 

See Cait at SBW2005: Cait is speaking on a panel, Team Building or Team Bleeding? Hiring Smart as You Scale, on Tuesday, September 9. 

Yeng Felipe Butler, Managing Partner, Chestnut Run Capital Partners

About Yeng: Yeng Felipe Butler is Founder and Managing Partner of Chestnut Run Capital Partners, an investment firm focused on providing alternative credit funding for growing and fast-scaling organizations in climate, human health, and education. Before her time at Chestnut Run Capital Partner, Yeng led both the Investment Solutions Team and the Liquidity Client Group at Allspring Global Investments. She was also Senior Manager Director at State Street Global Advisors, Global Head of Cash Business. Yeng’s a member of NxTWork, a non-profit that connects corporate board leaders with a highly qualified network of women executives. She also serves on the Board of Trustees at Milton Academy.   

See Yeng at SBW2005: Yeng is speaking on a panel, Beyond Equity: Cracking the Code on Venture Debt and Secondary Markets, on Friday, September 12.

Natalie Gil, CTO, Darshana

About Natalie: Natalie Gil is the CTO and Co-Founder of Darshana, a global platform that connects talent with verified opportunities through trusted data and responsible AI. Natalie has over 15 years of experience in the technology, finance, and healthcare sectors. She’s held executive titles at various companies, including Goldman Sachs, Microsoft, and AWS. Natalie’s committed to advance women in technology and supporting social causes. That includes as a Co-Founder, General Co-Chair, and Conference Advisor of Latin American Women in Technology Conference (Latinity). She’s also a MIT Sloan Fellow, a TEDx speaker, and an angel investor.    

See Natalie at SBW2005: Natalie is speaking on a panel, On Board and On Point: Turning Feedback into Strategic Wins, on Tuesday, September 9. 

Joyce Sidopoulos, Chief of Operations/Cofounder, MassRobotics

About Joyce: Joyce Sidopoulos cofounded MassRobotics, the world’s largest independent robotics innovation hub, dedicated to accelerating robotics technology, commercialization and adoption. She works on initiatives to expand the breadth and depth of the robotics ecosystem and develops high impact programs. Prior experience includes 14 years of civil service with the USN’s Naval Undersea Warfare Center as Chief Scientist for Acoustic Prediction Systems, Systems & Test Engineer, and Sonar Systems Analyst. Sidopoulos also held senior BizDev and Engineering & Technical Resource Manager roles at General Dynamics and defense contractors. She holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University.

See Joyce at SBW2005: Joyce is speaking on a panel, Building the Future: How Robotics and Automation Are Changing Everything, on Tuesday, September 9. 

Bridget Leigh Snell, Co-Founder and Partner, FASTx Partners

About Bridget: With a career spanning 30 years, Bridget Leigh Snell is a technologist, strategist, and social impact leader in the private and non-profit sectors. Bridget is currently the Co-Founder and Partner at FASTx Partners, where she helps companies access high-quality, executive expertise at the fraction of the cost. Prior to her time at FASTx Partners, Bridget held multiple executive roles in technology, human resources, and global operations with international non-profits like Oxfam and Save the Children. In addition to her professional work, she served as a governing body member for the New York City CIOs, associate at Harvard University’s Center for International Development, and adjunct professor.  

See Bridget at SBW2005: Bridget is speaking on a panel, Team Building or Team Bleeding? Hiring Smart as You Scale, on Tuesday, September 9.   

Shan Xiao, Founder and CEO, NeoSteed LLC

About Shan: Shan Xiao is passionate about using data management and AI to take healthcare to the next level. As the Founder of NeoSteed LLC, She turned that passion into a mission. NeoSteed empowers organizations to boost efficiency, enhance patient outcomes, and foster sustainable growth by combining data and healthcare. With a bachelor’s degree in Finance and Business Analytics Information Systems (BAIS) from the University of Iowa and credentials as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and Certified Specialist Business Intelligence (CSBI), Shan offers a unique blend of financial acumen and tech expertise to data-related projects in the healthcare industry. She’s also an emerging healthcare leaders committee member for the Massachusetts-Rhode Island Chapter of Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA).

See Shan at SBW2005: Shan is speaking on a panel, Big Fish, Small Pond: Navigating Partnerships with Large Organizations, on Tuesday, September 9.   

Ada Glover, Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer, Zus Health

About Ada: Ada Glover is Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Zus Health, a health data platform designed to accelerate healthcare inventors by providing them immediate access to usable patient data and enriched workflows. At Zus Health, Ada leads the product development and clinical strategy teams. Previously, her experience included working at athenahealth, Zearn, and Bain & Company. In her role at athenahealth, Ada was an Executive Product Director responsible for the revenue cycle and clinical- and value-based care products. 

See Ada at SBW2005: Ada is speaking on a panel, Plugged In: Designing Products for Platforms and Ecosystems, on Wednesday, September 10.   

Jillian Chase, Principal, Azolla Ventures

About Jillian: Jillian Chase is Principal at Azolla Ventures, which invests in early-stage tech companies with the potential for gigaton-scale climate impact. She’s trained as a biochemist and molecular biophysicist, focusing on structural biology, protein structure and function, DNA structure and function, and biotechnology. Before her time at Azolla, Jillian was Vice President at Flatiron Venture Partners. She’s also a Board Observer for Clean Crop Technologies, a company that uses electricity to fight food waste and food safety risk. For Jillian, she believes the future lies at the interface of science, technology, and fundamental innovation.  

See Jillian at SBW2005: Jillian is speaking on a panel, Gut Feel or Game Plan? Mastering Early-Stage Due Diligence, on Friday, September 12.      

Alicia Tulsee, Founder and CEO, Moxie Scrubs

About Alicia: Inspired by the nurses who cared for her loved ones, Alicia Tulsee had a calling to do something meaningful for the nursing profession. Created out of Harvard University’s Innovation Lab in 2021, Alicia launched Moxie Scrubs, a direct-to-consumer lifestyle brand for nurses. The scrubs’ design provides nurses with a sense of fashion, functionality, and professionalism. The Harvard alum named the company Moxie, which means force of character, determination, and resourcefulness to describe the nurses on the frontlines.   

See Alicia at SBW2005: Alicia is presenting, Taming the Beast: Breaking Down Big Hairy Goals into Bite-Sized Wins, on Tuesday, September 9. 

Abbey Newmark, HR Business Partner, Wistia

About Abbey: Abbey Newmark is currently a HR Business Partner at Wistia. She has over eight years of experience in the tech startup ecosystem, contributing to the growth and scaling various teams. In her role in people leadership, Abbey believes in the importance of empowering individuals and fostering a culture of collaboration to achieve collective success. Before Wistia, Abbey also worked for various companies including EverQuote and Ronin. She’s also a Facilitator of Manager Training at Want To Work There, an online resource hub that provides tools and advice to build a better workplace culture.  

See Abbey at SBW2005: Abbey is speaking on a panel, Making the Business Case for People Ops: How HR Leaders Can Secure Resources and Support, on Thursday, September 11.  

Shereen Shermak, COO, DANNCE.ai

About Shereen: Shereen Shermak is currently COO at DANNCE.al, where she helps the team developing digital biomarkers to accelerate the development of neurological therapeutics. Previously, Shereen held leadership positions at Atlantic Quantum, Nth Party, and Wise Trading Technologies. She’s also the Entrepreneur in Residence at Harvard Business School’s Rock Entrepreneurship Advisor Program, where Shereen supports student-entrepreneurs with their startup ventures. And Shereen’s on the Board of Overseers at Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts, a non-profit that helps empower youth.  

See Shereen at SBW2005: Shereen is speaking on a panel, Finding the Right Guide: How Early-Stage Founders Can Leverage Advisors & Mentors, Monday, September 8. 

See You at Startup Boston Week this September 8 - 12

These 18 women are just a snapshot of the powerhouse talent you’ll find at Startup Boston Week 2025. Whether you’re a founder, investor-in-the-making, operator or just startup curious, you’ll walk away from their sessions with practical insights, fresh ideas and a renewed sense of what’s possible.

Want to learn from them - and meet them? Join us September 8 - 12 at Suffolk University or virtually from wherever you are. Grab your free ticket here and be part of a week that’s redefining what leadership looks like in the startup world.

About the author: Kathleen Ohlson is a Boston-based content writer with a background as a high-tech reporter and storyteller. With a passion for creating content that resonates with audiences, you can connect with her on LinkedIn.