Programs
Structured Support
at Every Stage
Three pathways designed to meet you where you are and take you where you need to go.
Ayana Raise Accelerator
A 12-week intensive cohort program for founders actively fundraising their pre-seed or seed round. High-touch, results-driven, and built around your specific raise.
Weeks 1–2
Foundations
Investor mindset, story architecture, and defining your raise thesis.
Weeks 3–5
The Pitch
Deck construction, financial modeling, and narrative rehearsal.
Weeks 6–8
Investor Access
Warm intros, office hours, and mock investment committee reviews.
Weeks 9–10
Due Diligence
Term sheet literacy, cap table modeling, legal basics.
Weeks 11–12
Close & Scale
Closing mechanics, post-close planning, and community handoff.
Coming Soon
Upcoming Virtual Workshops
Personal Branding
Craft a founder presence that builds trust with investors, customers, and your community.
Date TBDRaising Capital
A tactical walkthrough of the fundraising process — from first check to closing your round.
Date TBDFounder Stories
What Founders Are Saying
"Ayana gave me the structure and confidence to walk into investor meetings knowing exactly what I was asking for — and why. I closed my pre-seed round within 3 months of the program."
Amara J.
HealthTech Startup · Pre-Seed
"The community alone is worth it. I've found my co-founder, two advisors, and my first enterprise customer through connections I made in the Ayana network."
Priya M.
LegalAI · Seed
"I came in with a deck and left with a raise strategy. The mentorship was specific, actionable, and incredibly validating. Ayana doesn't just believe in you — they equip you."
Fatima O.
EdTech Platform · Pre-Seed
"Ayana connected me with founders and investors who actually understood my market. The support I got helped me sharpen my pitch and move my raise forward with real momentum."
Veronica
Fight Club Energy · CEO
"Being part of the Ayana community changed how I approach fundraising. The guidance and network gave me the confidence to go after bigger rounds and bigger partnerships."
Shalini
Ready Set Jet · CEO
"Ayana's events have brought me to meet some of my best strategic investors. Ayana really cares about opening doors and making the right connections."
Helen
Chareu · Co-Founder
Mentorship Program
Matched with an experienced operator or investor based on your industry, stage, and specific goals. Monthly 1:1 sessions plus on-demand async support.
- Curated mentor matching
- Monthly 60-min sessions
- Async Q&A support
- Peer accountability group
Workshops & Masterclasses
Deep-dives on the tactical topics founders need most — pitch decks, financial modeling, term sheets, investor outreach, and more.
- Monthly live workshops
- On-demand recordings
- Templates & resources
- Expert Q&A sessions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ayana Foundation?
Ayana Foundation is a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit that helps first-time women founders become capital-ready through founder development, trusted community, and enhanced funding access. Tagline: No noise, only signal.
Who does Ayana serve?
Ayana focuses on first-time women founders raising from pre-seed to Series A, building high-growth companies and seeking development, community, and funding support.
How do I join Ayana or apply to a program?
Use Apply on ayana.org for programs and workshops, or Get Involved if you are a founder, investor, donor, or ally. Hawaii Cohort applications are reviewed on a rolling basis with follow-up in 5 to 7 business days.
What is the Invested workshop?
Invested is Ayana Founder Readiness workshop. At Austin Tech Week 2026 it was a seated lunch on the Women in Tech Track where founders named the investment they need next across Capital, Capacity, Connection, Visibility, and Structure. It was free for Austin Tech Week attendees.
How do I attend Ayana events in LA, Austin, or other cities?
Browse Events on ayana.org for Ayana and partner gatherings across cities including Los Angeles, Austin, San Francisco, New York, and more. Some rooms are invitation-only (for example Chloe and Cocktails). Submit an Event if you want Ayana to consider listing yours.
How can I partner or sponsor Ayana?
Visit Partners and Get Involved, or email the team for event-specific asks. Her Season sponsorship questions: LA2026@ayana.org. Past Invested ATW sponsorship tiers listed Ally $2,500, Champion $5,000, Presenting $10,000, plus in-kind.
What is Sponsor a Founder, and how does it work?
Ayana invites partners and sponsors to advance its mission for women founders. Use Get Involved or Partners, or email the team, for Sponsor a Founder package details.
Does it cost money to use Ayana resources or attend events?
The Resources library is free for everyone. Event costs vary: Invested at Austin Tech Week 2026 was free for ATW attendees; Chloe and Cocktails requested a $100 tax-deductible donation with registration.
What is the Ayana Raise Accelerator?
A 12-week intensive cohort for founders actively raising a pre-seed or seed round. Listed as 12 founders per cohort, covering pitch, investor access, due diligence literacy, and close planning. Apply via Programs or Apply.
What is the Hawaii Cohort?
A virtual funding workshop cohort exclusively for Hawaii-based women founders, with pitch feedback, raise strategy, investor intros, and peer community. Apply on the Hawaii Cohort page; rolling review.
When is Her Season, and where is it?
Her Season is scheduled for Spring 2027 in Los Angeles, with venue notes referencing Chargers Social Club / The 1960 Club in El Segundo. The timeline shifted to Spring 2027 for capacity and impact. Questions: LA2026@ayana.org.
Where does Ayana operate?
Ayana is registered in California and is active across multiple U.S. cities (5+ reached), including programming tied to LA, Austin, NYC, SF, and partner ecosystems.