CERESA

Both at turning points in their careers, a tech executive and former McKinsey & Co. partner decided to shift focus toward change in the corporate world. The two Austin-based women are doing it all virtually, year’s before the pandemic pushed businesses across the country online.

Crunchbase News typically covers larger funding rounds, however we think these startups are worth highlighting for their interesting approaches despite their smaller raises.

In 1979, Margaret Thatcher was elected as Britain’s first female prime minister. At the time, newspapers screamed it was a sign the glass ceiling had been shattered, Ceresa CEO Anna Robinson said. But more than 40 years later, just 37 women lead Fortune 500 companies, which still represents the greatest number in the magazine’s 65-year history.