Table of Contents
Introduction
Women are at the forefront of today’s most exciting revolutions—from e-commerce and cutting-edge technology to AI breakthroughs, healthcare advances, and next-gen innovations.
Thanks to their smart strategies, empathy, and bold vision, these leaders are building iconic ecommerce brands, pioneering advancements in AI, crafting healthcare solutions with a focus on sustainability and inclusion, while inspiring others to aim higher.
Their growing influence is not just changing industries—it’s redefining what leadership looks like. As the global economy evolves, one truth stands out: the future is being shaped—and elevated—by women. In this blog, we celebrate some of the most remarkable women who are transforming industries and inspiring change at every level.
Key Statistics
- Women-led businesses employ 9.4 million workers and generate $1.9 trillion in annual revenues.
- Over 1,800 new women-owned businesses are created each day in USA
- From 2019-2024, women-owned businesses grew by 17.1%.
- Women are three percent more likely than men to start a business
Nika Cleaver — JIV Athletics
Nika Cleaver is a co-founder at JIV Athletics https://www.jivathletics.com/, a San Diego–based athletic-undergarment brand she launched in 2018 with her mother, Tanys Evangelisti.
- Their mission: empower women in activewear by designing undergarments that are breathable, moisture-wicking, tag-free, roll-free, and uniquely “camel-toe-proof.”
- In 2018, the mother-daughter duo recognized a common problem faced by women in the world of athletics and activewear: the discomfort caused by camel toe and the constant tugging of underwear during workouts.
- Determined to find a solution, they founded JIV Athletics, a brand that aimed to revolutionize the athletic-undergarment industry.
JIV Athletics was featured in the May 2025 Instyle magazine edition https://www.instyle.com/best-underwear-for-working-out-11734680 for being best camel toe proof underwear
Reviewers praised the patented insert that “eliminates the issue with extra coverage along the crotch area” while keeping wearers “dry, comfortable, and secure.”
Elizabeth Bhaskar — Neendi
Elizabeth Bhaskar is a founder at Neendi https://neendi.com/, and she began her career rooted in corporate retail merchandising, where she honed a sharp eye for detail, pattern forecasting, and quality standards.
- This foundation in merchandising shaped her deep understanding of fabrics, fit, and what consumers truly want.
- Fuelled by a passion for comfort and creativity, Elizabeth turned her knowledge toward sleepwear by founding Neendi, a California-based sleepwear brand dedicated to celebrating individuality through unique designs.
- Her vision: create pajamas that are as “cool, fun, and original” as the women who wear them, ensuring both comfort and confidence.
- Neendi was featured in the June 2025 Wired magazine edition https://www.wired.com/gallery/the-best-pajamas-for-women/ for being one of the best Pyjamas for Women
- Wired’s reviewer, Boutayna Chokrane, praised it as a “favorite” for those “who believe sleepwear should be loud and spark joy,” applauding its bold takeout-box print, breezy fit, and carefree style
Elizabeth Bhaskar leveraged her merchandising expertise to create Neendi: a sleepwear brand that’s stylish, well-made, and empowering. Her designs prioritize quality and self-expression, and have earned both consumer love and editorial praise.
Denise Foley — Sunset Vibes Swimwear
Denise Foley founded Sunset Vibes https://sunsetvibesswimwear.com/ to create swimwear that truly fits and empowers. As a first-generation Brazilian Latina, she often felt excluded by fashion growing up in Oregon, especially when it came to finding flattering, supportive swimwear for curvier bodies.
- With over 20 years in tech and business, she launched Sunset Vibes to change that narrative.
- The brand features inclusive sizing, eco-friendly materials, and patent-pending Effortless Support Technology™, all designed to help real women feel confident and seen.
Sustainability underpins every decision—recycled nylon, compostable mailers, small-batch runs. Guided by the motto “Perfect Fit. Every Body.”, Sunset Vibes was featured in SHOUTOUT LA’s “Fierce Females,” doubled its revenue in 2024, and now partners with beach-cleanup NGOs—proving inclusive design and planet care can coexist profitably.
For Denise, Sunset Vibes is more than swimwear—it’s a celebration of body positivity, sustainability, and self-love.
Nia Thomas — Nia Thomas
Nia Thomas https://niathomas.co/, a Black, New York–born designer and FIT alumna (BFA in Fashion Design, class of 2017), launched her eponymous brand in fall 2018, just a year after graduation.
- Since then, she’s been redefining luxury fashion through a unique blend of sustainability, experiential design, and cultural storytelling.
- Designer Nia Thomas creates ethical, artisanal luxury fashion rooted in sustainability, craft, and cultural heritage.
- Working with women artisans in Mexico City and Lima, she uses traditional techniques like crochet and natural dyeing to create vibrant, meaningful garments
Her collections—carried by Shopbop and Moda Operandi—reflect a slow fashion ethos that honors environmental responsibility and identity expression.
- Frequently featured in Vogue and Essence, Nia uses her platform to amplify underrepresented Black and queer voices in fashion, redefining what modern luxury looks and feels like.
- Nia Thomas merges sustainability, sensory creativity, and empowerment to craft fashion that resonates emotionally and ethically.
Her commitment to inclusivity, heritage craftsmanship, and environmental responsibility makes her a pivotal voice in next-gen luxury fashion.
Ksenia Belkina — Cardiomo Care
Ksenia Belkina is a three-time tech founder and award-winning med-tech entrepreneur best known for leading Cardiomo Care https://www.cardiomo.com/, the company behind a wearable patch that delivers 24/7 AI-powered cardiac monitoring and early warnings for heart disease.
- Ksenia Belkina’s entrepreneurial story began with a personal need.
- When her husband designed a heart-monitoring patch for his mother, Ksenia saw the potential for a life-saving solution.
- She used her background in international health program management to co-found Cardiomo Care in 2016.
Today, Cardiomo offers continuous, AI-powered cardiac monitoring through a discreet wearable patch.
- Ksenia’s leadership blends global vision with deep empathy, offering scalable solutions in preventive healthcare.
- Based in New York and the Netherlands, her startup has already saved lives—proving that tech rooted in love can reach across borders and hearts.
Felena Hanson — Hera Hub
Felena Hanson, founder of Hera Hub https://herahub.com/, is a pioneering entrepreneur, author, and champion for women in business.
- With nearly two decades of experience growing small businesses, she launched Hera Hub in 2011—a spa-inspired coworking space and business accelerator designed specifically for women entrepreneurs.
- After experiencing layoffs and entrepreneurial isolation, she envisioned a space where women could collaborate, scale, and succeed—with serenity.
Hera Hub now operates in multiple U.S. cities and internationally, having served over 13,000 women entrepreneurs.
- With a mission-driven structure as a Public Benefit Corporation, Hera Hub has distributed over $750,000 in sponsored tuition and contributed thousands of hours to community-building programs.
- She believes in building robust, scalable communities: test early, refine fast, then expand.
Felena’s motto—rebel, reinvent, thrive—is a call to action for all women ready to create change on their own terms.
Silvia Mah — Stella Foundation
Silvia Mah, Founder of Stella Foundation https://stella.co/ and Stella Impact Capital, Silvia has supported over 130 startups, including six successful exits and an IPO.
- Originally from Caracas, Venezuela, she currently leads initiatives in San Diego, blending academic rigor with real-world impact.
- Dr. Silvia Mah combines scientific brilliance and entrepreneurial strategy to change the venture capital landscape.
- Originally from Venezuela, Silvia now leads ecosystem-building programs in San Diego.
- Stella Labs provides pitch training, accelerators, mentorship, and capital access to women—especially founders of color—seeking to make an impact.
Her work champions “impact with integrity,” ensuring that innovation benefits people, communities, and the planet.
Trish Clifford — It’s My Leche
Trish Clifford is a certified lactation counselor, mom, and entrepreneur who co-founded It’s My Leche https://itsmyleche.com/. This pioneering company freeze-dries breast milk into shelf-stable powder, bringing unprecedented flexibility and access to donor and maternal milk.
- Trish Clifford’s journey into entrepreneurship started with a personal challenge—excess breast milk and no good storage solutions.
- As a lactation counselor and mother, she teamed up with Jenney Korasick to launch It’s My Leche, the first company to freeze-dry 100% human breast milk into shelf-stable powder.
With It’s My Leche, she’s removing traditional barriers—like limited freezer space, spoilage, and travel restrictions—to offer safe, nutrient-rich breast milk in powder form.
- Her leadership reflects her belief that modern parents deserve modern solutions.
- This innovation supports traveling moms, NICUs, and donor milk programs
- With a three-year shelf life and nutritional retention, It’s My Leche empowers parents while modernizing infant nutrition.
Featud in Pregnancy & Newborn, the company is helping redefine convenience and safety in breastfeeding support.
MyPhuong Le — Aquillius
Dr. MyPhuong Le is a proven life-sciences innovator and entrepreneur, currently leading Aquillius https://www.aquillius.com/ —a comprehensive innovation hub and venture platform supporting early-stage biotech, medtech, and sustainability startups.
- Aquillius is more than a biotech incubator—it’s a lifeline for early-stage startups in health, sustainability, and advanced sciences.
- As President, Dr. MyPhuong Le offers founders access to lab space, cleanrooms, 3D prototyping, and funding.
With a PhD in Pharmaceutics and a background managing regulatory systems for medical devices, Dr. Le brings scientific expertise and entrepreneurial vision.
- Her work at Aquillius Ventures backs health innovation in cell therapy, psychedelics, and medical devices, filling crucial gaps in San Diego’s life sciences infrastructure.
- By fostering a new generation of life-science startups through its labs, incubator, and capital resources, she transforms innovation into tangible impact, driving the future of human health and sustainable technologies.
Lena Skliarova-Mordvinova — The Good Face Project
Lena, co-founder at The Good Face Project https://thegoodfaceproject.com/, is a seasoned AI expert, entrepreneur, and former scientist at the Ukrainian Space Research Institute who applies over two decades of experience in artificial intelligence and image recognition to revolutionize the beauty-tech industry.
- Ukrainian AI expert Lena Skliarova-Mordvinova transformed her background in neural networks and data-mining into a beauty-tech powerhouse.
- The Good Face Project, which she co-founded in 2018, uses generative AI to assess 150,000+ cosmetic ingredients for safety, compliance, and effectiveness.
As CTO, Lena developed the CARA AI engine, guiding both brands and consumers through ingredient transparency. Despite leading a Ukraine-based team through wartime disruptions, Lena has kept the company thriving. Her innovation ensures that clean beauty isn’t just a trend—it’s a verified, transparent standard.
Sarah Shafer — Milk Made Skin
Sarah Shafer is a retail-marketing veteran turned skin-care innovator whose personal journey through infertility and motherhood led her to found Milk Made Skin https://milkmadeskin.com/ in May 2023.
- The brand harnesses the nourishing power of breast milk—dubbed “liquid gold”—by creating a proprietary Milk Peptide Complex™ that mimics its benefits in clean, effective skincare.
- After enduring seven IVF cycles and the hormonal rollercoaster that followed, Sarah Shafer found that her breast milk helped improve her post-treatment skin.
- She worked with chemists to replicate its regenerative properties in a clean, vegan peptide formula—launching Milk Made Skin in 2023.
Today, Milk Made Skin offers a trio of “milk-inspired” skincare products and donates part of its profits to the Fertility Dreams Foundation, co-founded by Sarah to help others afford IVF. Her brand marries innovation with compassion, empowering women with both radiant skin and reproductive support.
Conclusion
Each of these women has taken a challenge—whether personal, cultural, or market-based—and turned it into a meaningful, scalable solution. Together, they represent the future of entrepreneurship: diverse, inclusive, sustainable, and profoundly human.
In celebrating them, we don’t just spotlight their achievements—we elevate a movement. These founders are more than innovators; they are catalysts for a smarter, more compassionate future where women lead, thrive, and reimagine what’s possible across industries.
Deepak Wadhwani has over 20 years experience in software/wireless technologies. He has worked with Fortune 500 companies including Intuit, ESRI, Qualcomm, Sprint, Verizon, Vodafone, Nortel, Microsoft and Oracle in over 60 countries. Deepak has worked on Internet marketing projects in San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange Country, Denver, Nashville, Kansas City, New York, San Francisco and Huntsville. Deepak has been a founder of technology Startups for one of the first Cityguides, yellow pages online and web based enterprise solutions. He is an internet marketing and technology expert & co-founder for a San Diego Internet marketing company.
