While many female entrepreneurs acknowledge the feeling of facing unique challenges, MIT professor Fiona Murray points to research that it’s more than just a feeling. Even “when women are founding similar types of innovation-driven businesses, evaluators are less likely to show interest in their businesses,” she said. Massachusetts Institute of Technology News Office Article.

Murray also looked at scientific advisory boards, and found “women faculty are much less likely to be on these boards. When we look at women and men scientists [and I would add – likely the general business population] with similarly high-profile careers, women are not participating at the rates you would expect. My own interviews suggest that this is not because they are turning down opportunities, but because they are much less likely to be invited to join.”

Understanding this gap, Ernst & Young designed the Winning Women program to go beyond the typical award recognition, building in one-of-a-kind networking opportunities such as participation in the invitation-only Strategic Growth Forum held in Palm Springs each winter.

“Our Entrepreneurial Winning Women program helps bridge the gap for an area we call ‘the missing middle’ — those second-stage women business owners whose companies have emerged from the start-up phase but face a crucial inflection point in their growth journey. By providing the right information, networks and guidance, we’re able to help these talented women access capital, identify strong business advisors and put the processes in place to radically expand their companies,” said Kerrie MacPherson, Ernst & Young.

Nominations close June 28 – Nominate and/or apply to the E&Y Winning Women Program now.

Criteria include:

• Woman business owner (at least 51%) who is the founding CEO of any privately held for-profit US or Canadian company less than 10 years old.
• Company must have reported at least $2m in sales for each of the last two fiscal years.
• 2013 pplicants must be able to attend an intensive two-day orientation/ preparation session on October 24-25 as well as the Ernst & Young Strategic Growth Forum, November 13–17 in Palm Springs, California. Attendance at both the Orientation and Strategic Growth Forum is mandatory.