HerFund

Inspiration

I was inspired by my mother and the women in my family who used to talk about their dream businesses- bakeries, salons, dance studios, and more. But financial constraints, insecurity, and a lack of support stopped them from ever dreaming big enough to make it real. They still wish they could have built those businesses- and HerFund is my way of saying, maybe someone else still can.

What it does

HerFund is a micro-investment platform concept where anyone- even students- can invest as little as $5 in women-led startups. It connects small investors with passionate women founders from underserved communities, offers educational content, and hosts mentorship programs to support women-led innovation from dream to delivery.

How we designed it

I developed the concept, business plan, and pitch video using Canva and other creative tools. While the app hasn’t been built yet, this submission focuses on the vision, user impact, and how HerFund could realistically be developed into a working platform in the future

Challenges we ran into

Working solo meant I had to wear every hat- ideation, design, storytelling, and panic management. I started later than I should’ve, so time was tight, and I had to figure out how to turn an emotional story into a pitch-worthy business concept. But I stayed caffeinated and committed.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

I took a deeply personal inspiration and turned it into a clear, actionable, SDG-aligned concept. I built the business plan, pitch visuals, and brand identity from scratch. It's not an app yet, but it’s more than just an idea now- it’s a direction.

What we learned

That a powerful idea doesn't need a full codebase to matter- it just needs clarity, empathy, and the courage to say, "What if?" I also learned how to connect big social issues to small, doable steps- like $5 at a time.

What's next for HerFund

Find collaborators who believe in the vision. Build an MVP. Test a pilot in communities where women-led businesses often get overlooked. And keep scaling- one woman, one investor, one micro-fund at a time.

Built With

• canva