Meet Rita David.
CEO / Co-Founder of InnoVationGirls (iVG).
"Don’t be shy to take advantage of all the valuable resources in Cincinnati. And make sure you have a strong “why”.
innoVationGirls is a tech-enabled innovation platform that enables businesses to co-create sustainable products with their next-gen customer while training young girls to build the world they want to see.
Q: What makes Cincinnati a great place to start a business?
A: The low cost of living, home to four top-ranking Universities, home to large companies Kroger, P&G, and GE - most importantly the strong start-up culture make Cincinnati a really great place to start a business. Startup Cincy’s ecosystem is so rich with valuable resources for every stage of your startup. You have the resources of a big city but the friendliness of a small town. I’m really happy to see it getting the recognition it deserves.
Q: How did a grant from Main Street Ventures impact you and your business?
A: We have proven our model in the physical world and the hybrid digital world. Scaling our model and reaching the 1 Million future female leaders will be done through the VR world.
The MSV grant enabled us to start developing the iVG virtual reality app which will help us get to our next milestone of iVG 2.0 and give us the first measures of vitality and scale. iVG 2.0 will provide faster, cheaper, better innovations for our corporate clients.
Q: What does a typical day in your life look like?
A: Typical? I don’t think I remember what that looks like! When you are starting a business with a small team (wife and husband) and are bootstrapped, every day is a new adventure. Wearing several different hats and learning new skills on a regular basis keeps things challenging and exciting. Add into the mix children who are schooling from home and it becomes even more interesting! I have never been one to particularly like routine so this actually works very well for me.
Q: What is a lesson you've learned that has shaped your work?
A: Launching a tech startup that is bringing a new paradigm in the world is like jumping out of a plane and building a parachute while you freefall. You have to have a strong “why”. Your why is what keeps you going through the tough times and what gets people to buy into your vision.
Q: What's next for InnoVationGirls?
A: Bringing Artificial Intelligence into the world of the emerging generation of Women Leaders starting at 10 years old!
