Headshot photo of Ariel Beck
2022 Award Recipient

ArielBeck

Project Girls Who Start

Location Bethesda, MD

Issue Area Education | Gender Equality

Motivated to empower other girls and women, Ariel founded Girls Who Start, a nonprofit organization inspiring young women in middle school, high school, and college to become entrepreneurs and leaders. Girls Who Start has reached more than 2,500 girls and established more than 50 chapters nationally and internationally, including in China, India, and Switzerland. The organization holds events that showcase female entrepreneurs, gives girls tools to turn their ideas into reality, and connects future female entrepreneurs to mentors and role models.

Girls Who Start hosts design challenges, hackathons, and workshops that teach girls how to foster their ideas, launch prototypes, develop business plans and pitches, and lead teams. Young women also practice entrepreneurship and leadership by creating and organizing their own chapter events and taking roles in the organization. Many members have started ventures as a result, proving the impact of investing in young women early. Girls Who Start also awards scholarship opportunities for underrepresented girls to attend social venture and college counseling courses, ensuring that the future of female entrepreneurship is more diverse.

As many girls lack female role models, I vowed to change this and create a community of girls interested in entrepreneurship and leadership.

Ariel Beck
Ariel working with young teen girls on a project in a classroom.

Girls Who Start

girlswhostart.org

Girls Who Start logo In founding Girls Who Start, Ariel leveraged her experience in the Jewish community and her shock at the low rate of investment in female-led start-ups to empower other women. Through Girls Who Start, Ariel is combating the gender inequality embedded in the business world, showcasing female entrepreneurs, and giving girls tools to make their ideas a reality. With over 2,500 members at 54 schools nationally and internationally, the organization is focused on building a connected community of future female entrepreneurs and leaders who want to change the world.

Ariel Beck stands at podium with a microphone
Headshot Photo of Ariel Beck