For former JPMorgan investment banker turned entrepreneur Carolyn Roz, the impetus for Hello Alice, a set of free financial products and programs, was born out of Roz’s previous struggles to raise capital.[I] “I knew firsthand how difficult it was for women entrepreneurs to access funding. At the time, the total amount of venture capital given to women was about 2.2 percent,” she said.
And it hasn’t gotten any better since 2017, when Roz co-founded Hello Alice with Elizabeth Gore: Just 1.9% and 2.1% of venture capital, respectively, went to women-led companies in 2022 and 2023. “As a woman who has raised millions of dollars today, I can confidently say it’s possible, but for that 2.1%, it’s no easy feat,” Roz added.
The two founded Hello Alice to help small businesses better access resources and capital. Its community of more than 1.4 million businesses has access to tools such as a proprietary “Business Health Score,” which owners can use to assess the financial health of their business and identify areas where they can improve operations and performance. The company also offers a branded MasterCard and offers grants of up to $50,000 with corporate partners.
Roz argued that at the core of fintech is the pursuit of financial inclusion: “By leveraging innovative and groundbreaking technologies, the industry can overcome barriers and provide equitable access to a wide range of financial services,” she said.
Prior to Hello Alice, Rodz launched a virtual accelerator that supported over 300 women in the U.S. and internationally and helped raise over $76 million in investment.
