Little Rock nonprofit to show film on female entrepreneurs

The Start Here Initiative in Little Rock will offer a free, public screening of the documentary She Started It, followed by a presentation from one of the subjects of the film, at 2 p.m. June 10 at the Ron Robinson Theater in downtown Little Rock, according to a press release.

She Started It tells the stories of five women building tech-based companies in San Francisco, Mississippi, France and Vietnam and shows their journey over two years as they “pitch venture capital [firms], build teams, bring products to market, fail and start again,” according to the release.

Sheena Allen, a featured entrepreneur from the film, will participate in an audience-led discussion afterward, according to the release. She is a 2015 fellow of the Delta Entrepreneurship Network, led by the Delta Regional Authority.

The Start Here Initiative’s stated mission is to “engage women and minorities in Little Rock and increase access to entrepreneurial information, resources and training.”

“The vision of the initiative is to close the gap in access to venture capital for underrepresented segments of our community regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status,” according to the press release.

Start Here partners with a wide variety of organizations, with a shared goal of creating “a more equitable and vibrant environment for innovation and entrepreneurism in central Arkansas,” according to the release.

“This Initiative is a community-driven program,” Steve Rice, founder of Start Here, said in the release. “It shows that you don’t have to have lots of money and a big infrastructure to make a difference. You can start where you are with what you have and take the first step.”

The screening is presented in partnership with the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas.

“The Women’s Foundation of Arkansas is working to be the leading voice in promoting economic mobility for women in Arkansas. To that end, we are pleased to partner with organizations that are seeking to inspire, encourage, and mentor women of all ages as they flex their entrepreneur muscles,” Executive Director Anna Beth Gorman said in the release. “We believe that women (and) girls need to be introduced and exposed to opportunities that have historical evaded them, such as access to capital and professional mentorship in the arenas of our tech-based economy.”