FourthWave, Inc. is a leading accelerator for female tech entrepreneurs. We are committed to changing the narrative around gender equity, and a core part of that story is seen through an economic lens. Investing in women is one of the most effective ways to reduce inequality and increase economic growth. FourthWave creates opportunities for entrepreneurs to chart a new course in business culture with an innovative curriculum designed to facilitate our entrepreneurs’ growth as impactful, conscious leaders. Our program addresses the primary impediments to female business owners’ success—a lack of mentorship, startup fundamentals and access to capital. FourthWave was born in 2017 to alleviate those impediments and to give women the foundation and support they deserve for success. Our inaugural Sacramento program launched in 2017, and in 2020 we stepped into a strategic partnership with the esteemed Carlsen Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Sacramento State University. To date, FourthWave alumni have raised over $50 million in funding.

FourthWave is committed to changing the narrative around gender equity, and we believe a core part of the story is seen through an economic lens.

We know that investing in women is one of the most effective ways to reduce inequality and increase economic growth. This is a paradigm that has proven to be true internationally, in economies of every scale. Yet, while women dominate the national start-up scene, launching companies at three times the rate of men, we only attract about 4% of venture capital investments. 

We also know that the two major impediments to female business owners’ success is lack of mentorship and access to capital. FourthWave was born to alleviate those impediments and give women the foundation and support they deserve for success. Our choice to work within an accelerator model was a practical decision. Validating our path is a study underwritten by JP Morgan Chase, showing that when companies participate in an acceleration program, they typically raise eight times the amount of capital vs those who don’t participate in similar programs. The catch is that women represent only 14% of the businesses in incubators and accelerator programs.

This is exactly why we created FourthWave.