Girls' Entrepreneurship Summit

The Girls' Entrepreneurship Incubator unleashes untapped potential in future female innovators and entrepreneurs.

Do you have an idea that will change the world?

Registration Coming Soon for 2026!

Young women ages 14 to 22 are invited to participate.

The Girls' Entrepreneurship Incubator shows girls who they can be by providing them with role models and mentors they can relate to.

Participants learn the skills and resources they need to launch their independent businesses.

Female entrepreneurs from the community lead class and mentor participants. Female innovators from around the world join class as guest speakers.

Participants pitch their businesses to a panel of judges and compete for cash prizes.

When:

Dates: February 21st, 2026 -- April 11th, 2026

Times: TBA
‍

Where:

All cohorts will meet in person at a local business and/or co-working space.

In the past we have been hosted by the Greater DSM Partnership, Maple Studios, Accenture, Ernst and Young, Kemin, IMT, and Mainframe Studios.

Locations for the 2026 Incubator have not been announced, yet.

Testimonials from past participants

"I was uncertain in what I wanted to do, but this program helped build a passion within me "

Kiki Gbor, 2025 Girls' Entrepreneurship Incubator Winner

"I have learned that as a woman, I am able to do anything I put my mind to and create it with the four steps of innovation."

Maya France, 2022 Girls' Entrepreneurship Incubator participant

"I loved watching my two girls in the group grow from the beginning to the end of the program. They left the program with much more confidence."

Joann Leto, 2022 Girls' Entrepreneurship Incubator mentor

Where are they now?

Satina Ishibwami, 2020 Girls' Entrepreneurship Incubator winner

Shop her small business, Satina | Beauty & SPI Clothing Store, here. Follow her on Instagram @satinaibeauty.

Safie Jackson, 2021 Girls' Entrepreneurship Incubator participant

Shop her small business, SafiesSouffle, here. Follow her on Instagram @safiessouffle.

Aerz Johnson, 2022 Girls' Entrepreneurship Incubator winner

Currently pursuing a patent for her small business, Big Head Bucket Hats.

Elizabeth Nyamwange, 2022 Girls' Entrepreneurship Incubator guest speaker

A senior at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy and inventor of Etana, a low-cost digital identification device for women living without access to the internet or electricity. Winner of HP's Girls Save the World and recipient of $36,000 from MIT's Solv[ED] Youth Innovation Challenge. Check out her website here. Follow her on LinkedIn at enyamwange.

Girls' Entrepreneurship Incubator

Brought to you by Pi515 and John Pappajohn

The Girls' Entrepreneurship Incubator unleashes untapped potential in future female innovators and entrepreneurs.

Do you have an idea that will change the world?

Young women ages 14 to 22 are invited to participate.

The Girls' Entrepreneurship Incubator shows girls who they can be by providing them with role models and mentors they can relate to.

Participants learn the skills and resources they need to launch their independent businesses.

Female entrepreneurs from the community lead class and mentor participants. Female innovators from around the world join class as guest speakers.

Participants pitch their businesses to a panel of judges and compete for cash prizes.

When:

Where:

Testimonials from past participants

"I was uncertain in what I wanted to do, but this program helped build a passion within me "

"I have learned that as a woman, I am able to do anything I put my mind to and create it with the four steps of innovation."

"I loved watching my two girls in the group grow from the beginning to the end of the program. They left the program with much more confidence."

Where are they now?

Satina Ishibwami, 2020 Girls' Entrepreneurship Incubator winner

Safie Jackson, 2021 Girls' Entrepreneurship Incubator participant

Aerz Johnson, 2022 Girls' Entrepreneurship Incubator winner

Elizabeth Nyamwange, 2022 Girls' Entrepreneurship Incubator guest speaker

Thank you to our current Incubator Sponsors:

Get Involved

Read about past Incubator:

The Greater Des Moines Partnership

InnovationIOWA

Girls' Entrepreneurship Incubator

Brought to you by Pi515 and John Pappajohn

The Girls' Entrepreneurship Incubator unleashes untapped potential in future female innovators and entrepreneurs.Do you have an idea that will change the world?

Young women ages 14 to 22 are invited to participate.

The Girls' Entrepreneurship Incubator shows girls who they can be by providing them with role models and mentors they can relate to.Participants learn the skills and resources they need to launch their independent businesses.

Female entrepreneurs from the community lead class and mentor participants. Female innovators from around the world join class as guest speakers.Participants pitch their businesses to a panel of judges and compete for cash prizes.

When:

Where:

Testimonials from past participants

"I was uncertain in what I wanted to do, but this program helped build a passion within me "

"I have learned that as a woman, I am able to do anything I put my mind to and create it with the four steps of innovation."

"I loved watching my two girls in the group grow from the beginning to the end of the program. They left the program with much more confidence."

Where are they now?

Satina Ishibwami, 2020 Girls' Entrepreneurship Incubator winner

Safie Jackson, 2021 Girls' Entrepreneurship Incubator participant

Aerz Johnson, 2022 Girls' Entrepreneurship Incubator winner

Elizabeth Nyamwange, 2022 Girls' Entrepreneurship Incubator guest speaker

Thank you to our current Incubator Sponsors:

Accenture

Homesteaders Life Company

Iowa Economic Development Authority

John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Centers

Microsoft

Get Involved

Read about past Incubator:

The Greater Des Moines Partnership

InnovationIOWA

The Girls' Entrepreneurship Incubator unleashes untapped potential in future female innovators and entrepreneurs.

Do you have an idea that will change the world?

The Girls' Entrepreneurship Incubator shows girls who they can be by providing them with role models and mentors they can relate to.

Participants learn the skills and resources they need to launch their independent businesses.

Female entrepreneurs from the community lead class and mentor participants. Female innovators from around the world join class as guest speakers.

Participants pitch their businesses to a panel of judges and compete for cash prizes.