htm.elle

htm.elle believes that increasing the pipeline of female leaders is the solution to closing the gender gap within the entrepreneurial ecosystem and addressing society’s unseen biases and systematic oppression towards women.

We teach young women how to invent innovative solutions for real world problems through three disciplines. We support and work with our girls on every step in their entrepreneurial journey, from ideation and prototyping to pitching and funding. As a result, we are encouraging them to pursue postsecondary tracts in STEAM and become the next generation of successful, innovative entrepreneurs.

Our program provides young women a new way of problem solving that allows them to ideate better solutions, services, and experiences that are bolder, more unique and incredibly human. We call this new method of problem solving c.tech.

c.tech effectively integrates the reasoning of human behavior in cognitive science, design thinking from the creative process, and the implementation of technology (computer science).

There is a clear lack of gender diversity in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Less than 38% – and that’s on the generous end of the scale – of entities are founded and led by women. Furthermore, only 17% of successful technological ventures are founded by women. A percentage that has held steady since 2015, where it was just 16%. From that small pool, it is also important to note that only 2.2% of them are funded by venture capitalists.

Studies show, however, that women are the swiftest growing group of entrepreneurs. Not only that, but women-led businesses outperform male peers in many venture capitalist portfolios, with racially-diverse companies exceeding industry norms by 35%.

How do we increase the percentage of female founded entities?

31% of the student population are living at or below the poverty level. These individuals do not have access to the same educational resources that other communities do.

Because of this, we prioritize 6th to 12th grade female identifying and non-binary individuals who come from low-income, underserved, and at risk communities into our program. We hope to intervene early and help them gain the resources and confidence to pursue postsecondary options in entrepreneurship, science, math, technology, and design.

Our classes offer them a diverse and inclusive environment with no peer pressure and more opportunities and role models.

Our program is a two-part series: our core program and our capstone courses.

In our core program, each student chooses a local issue to address. Progressing through our curriculum, students ideate a unique and innovative solution to that problem. We begin by researching deeply into the social issue, compiling statistics, previous solutions, and news. We then teach students to harness creativity to think of an innovative solution. Proceeding into the prototyping phase, students build a tangible model of their idea. As they enter the cognitive science unit, students further understand their audience and hone their prototype. Lastly, students learn computer science to improve and integrate technology into their solution. Graduates leave the program with a blueprint and non-functioning, yet scaled prototype for them to implement into society.

Our capstone courses allow core program alumni the opportunity to transform their prototype into an actual functioning product. They choose from a plethora of technological classes to help materialize their designs such as, robotics, augmented reality, wearable tech, and more.

Creativity

 Utilizing creativity, students will learn how to become impactful designers. They will answer the big question, “What is human centered design and how can I use it to problem solve?” Lessons in this stage will teach girls how to ideate meaningful and unique solutions, as well as build out multiple iterations of their prototype.

Cognitive Science

Cognitive science compliments the curriculum by helping students understand their audience on a deeper level. Girls will be answering the big question, “How do humans think and how can I make my prototype address their pain points?” Lessons will include removing cognitive dissonance, understanding their user’s behavior on a micro level, and making their solutions more empathetic.

Computer Science

The last big question students will be answering is, “What is computer science and how can I integrate it into my solution?” Students will learn multiple computer science programs, as well as computational thinking to help them further refine their solution and effectively integrate technology into it. 

Entrepreneurship

Girls will also learn how to build out their pitch deck, building out their strategies for funding and investing, and more insights on how to make their venture successful.

Along with the main program, our students receive exclusive resources, mentors, events, and opportunities to supplement their journey and capitalize on their success.

Compared to other existing organizations, htm.elle is a unique and innovative solution that has never been done before. We are the only existing organization that is intimately involved in every step of the girl’s entrepreneurial experience- from ideation all the way to fruition. 

Our biggest competitors are Girls in Tech and Technovation. However, Girls in Tech only offers boot camps, an annual conference, and transient online programs for young women. Technovation only teaches them how to develop tech ventures rooted in mobile applications. What makes htm.elle completely different from either of these nonprofits is that we teach our girls how to explore any venture or solution to a real-world problem. 

In our core program, technology is utilized because we educate our students on foundational programming languages such as Scratch, HTML, CSS, Javascript, and Python. Students then utilize these skills to build out websites, mobile apps, animations, and games to support their process.

In our capstone courses, technology is at the forefront of all our options. This includes but is not limited to, a robotics class, an augmented reality class, a wearable tech class, a computer-assisted design class, and many more. Students are allowed to pick and choose their electives based on what skills they need to build out their functioning prototype.

Through this, we are aggravating the vast amount of innovative technological solutions that can be produced from our program.

We deliver to our students through our programs: a growth in self-confidence when problem-solving, the ability to effectively apply computational thinking to innovation, an increase in the desire to pursue STEAM post-secondary options, and an increased sense of belonging to a sisterhood where learning and venturing in tech is encouraged. Specifically, students will leave our programs with an extensive knowledge of the tech entrepreneurial process and the prowess to implement them to the real world. 

Our first step to reaching these goals is implementing a curriculum that is engaging and project based. Students succeed in each class with lessons that build on top of their previous learning experience. Our next step is to integrate fun and interactive classroom activities that they won’t experience elsewhere. These activities strengthen their team building and interpersonal skills.

We also implement facilitators in the classroom that are close in age with our students. By reducing the age gap between students and facilitators, we are fostering a relationship between both that is built on relatability, trust, and familiarity. 

Lastly, we supplement their education with exclusive outside resources such as guest speakers available for Q & A, intimate mentorships with industry leaders in our three disciplines, field trips to prominent companies, and an accessible network of like-minded role models who can help them pursue their ventures and stay competitive. We also provide 24/7 academic advising and professional counseling for girls who are interested in pursuing a higher education or opportunity in any of the three concepts.

Currently, we are serving 9 young women who come from low-income, underserved, and at risk communities through our summer pilot program. 

We will be serving 50-300 girls in one year. We're starting at Fremont High in Oakland, California as an after school program. Next, we are implementing our program at our other partnerships with College Track, First Graduate, The Women's Building, and more.

And in five years, we hope to have expanded nationally and globally, serving 185,000 girls and counting who deserve the right to stay competitive in their future.

• Home:

  • Lease a space for headquarters, as well as provide students a space to learn, relax, study, build, and make new friends

• Reform:

  • Reform the classroom structure by implementing individualized curriculum based on student learning style

  • Experiment towards new methods for teaching and learning inside and outside of the classroom

• Accessibility:

  • Implement online program

  • Develop a mobile application

  • Develop a program that educates and certifies teachers/parents/volunteers to teach our program

• Growth:

  • Expand operations by hosting program nationwide and globally

  • Supplement program with merchandise and premium subscriptions

    • Books, monthly subscription box, and more

• Opportunities:

  • Host popup events and workshops around surrounding areas

• Retention:

  • Building programs and extensions of the program to keep girls coming back and continuing to grow

  • Providing internships/volunteering opportunities within htm.elle for program alumni

Lack of Resources: How do we gather the resources we need, such as space, materials, and more when a majority of it goes toward implementing one program?

Sustainability: How do we execute our business model to make sure our impact lasts a long time?

Retaining/Engaging Donors: How do we keep donors engaged and interested and let them know that they’re always a part of the team?

Gathering Resources: We will rely on the generous donations of our investors, donators, funders, and granters. If there is a possibility to receive from them a building space, machinery, tools, supplies, and more than our solution will accelerate greatly. Other parts of the monetary donations will be allocated to gathering the residual supplies we did not receive from donors. 

Establishing Sustainability: htm.elle will always strive to experiment with new approaches and solutions to solving our problem. This will allow us to keep forming new relationships with collaborators inside and outside of htm.elle, as well as continue to execute, scale, and evolve our product out in the world.

Retaining/Engaging Donors: With the push to keep evolving and expanding our product, it is crucial that we keep our donors engaged in every step of the process. This is done by allowing them to be vocal with their suggestions, getting them excited by successfully introducing new and innovative iterations of our product, and reinforcing the impact of our program by gathering meaningful data and metrics.

CEO & Founder / Board Director: Marielle Ednalino (FT)

Creative Director / Board Member: Nicole Garcia (PT)

Board Members: Veronica Jacobs (PT), Curt Alexander (PT), Kevin Doyle Jones (PT), Winifred Ereyi (PT)

Company Advisor: James Housefield (PT)

Marketing Lead: Sophie Ishak (PT)

Social Media Intern: Mary Wu (PT)

Off-site counselor: Sydney Asmus (PT)

Creative Assistant: Caylin Yorba-Ruiz (PT)

Copywriter: Samantha Solomon (PT)

Grant Writers: Patrice Rivera (PT) & Diana Cant (PT)

Cognitive Science Advisor: Sarah Malone (PT)

Computer Science Advisor: Caroline Choi (PT)

Computer Science Advisor: Bhavini Kadawala (PT)

Creative Advisor: Suhaila Sikand (PT)

Community Outreach: Ankita Bhat (PT)

Associate Intern: Emma Ramos Reyna (PT)

htm.elle is currently assembled by a team of change agents — creators of innovations that disrupt the status quo and change our world for the better. We refuse to follow traditional methods of problem-solving and strive to always think and solve differently. 

Our CEO and Founder, Marielle Ednalino, is a self-taught computer scientist, entrepreneur, and designer. She is empowered by empathy and founded the Davis Girls Who Code Chapter, as well as htm.elle in order to address the nation’s widening gender gap.

Our board members consists of key industry leaders including, the CEO of OWL Fund, the Founders of major social impact enterprises, a wildly creative designer, and a director of innovation and impact investments.

Our team members consists of non-traditional problem solvers who span from diverse backgrounds that include, a venture capitalist intern, a freelance designer, a social media guru, a community outreach expert, an ambitious high school student, a meticulous grant-writer, and many more.

Our different backgrounds, industry experiences, and perspectives helped us build a sisterhood that we’re extremely proud of.

htm.elle gives thanks to our supporters:

KEY ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL

summer program partner

FREMONT SENIOR HIGHSCHOOL

after school program partner

THE WOMEN’S BUILDING

program partner

FIRST GRADUATE

program partner

THE VIOLET SOCIETY

program partner

COLLEGE TRACK

summer program partner

HOW WOMEN LEAD

sponsor

ASPIREIT NCWIT FUND

sponsor

GOOD EARTH NATURAL FOODS

food sponsor

Our business model and company identification are built around two frameworks- a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization, as well as a Social Impact Enterprise. 

As a 501(c)(3), we situate htm.elle as an organization that the public can invest in whether that be through monetary donations, time, participation, volunteering, or more. This allows us to gain investment from local communities in which return is only evaluated on social impact growth. 

Our second framework is situating htm.elle as a Social Impact Enterprise to target Funders and Investors. This allows us to receive capital from corporations with an expected return on our evaluation to generate maximum profit, turnover, growth, and impact.

Our outreach is built around the philosophy of connecting a national network of locally based operations. We focus on one issue that is important to local communities across the country, where government alone can’t solve the problem. Our funds will be gathered locally from individuals or corporate donations, special events, grants, and stipends. 

Through this, we are executing our philosophy of connecting a national network of locally-based operations. We focus on one issue that is important to local communities and corporations across the country, where the government alone can’t solve the problem. 

Through this, our work addresses an issue that local leaders consider a high priority and recognize us as a compelling force to tackle them. We plan to replicate our program around the nation and commit ourselves to identify and empower high-performing leaders and communities to fund and support our local branches.

We also plan to implement premium member features and subscription services.

Partnership is one of the guiding principles that Solve encapsulates and we stand behind. Building a network is essential in connecting individuals within different industries. By creating an infrastructure of like-minded and goal-oriented citizens, you’re opening up the space to be a community of information driven ideas and solutions. 

Problems are simply too complex to tackle from within a single school of thought- we need a collaborative mindset. That's why htm.elle is seeking the collaboration and guidance from Solve. We have a greater chance of solving complex problems when we work together.

Girls Garage: is a Nonprofit Design & Building Program and dedicated workspace for girls ages 9-17. We currently do not have the capacity to lease our own workspace with tools and machinery, so a partnership with Girls Garage will allows our girls to utilize their maker-space in order to build their prototype into a functioning entity. 

MIT Participatory Design in Computing Club Club:  Their work involves users in the analysis, design and organizational implementation of new technologies and work practices. A partnership with this club would allow our girls to see a deeper connection between design, technsology, and social good. It would also allow us to refine and improve the design and technological aspect of our curriculum.

San Francisco Young Democrats: is an organization based in the Bay Area that allows members to find a community of like-minded individuals interested in making an impact within the governing system. A partnership with this establishment would help us address the lack of policies that support gender equality. If we change the fabric of our nation through policy reform, it would disrupt the disparity amongst men and women and bring about a more inclusive society.

Technovation / Girls in Tech: Although they are listed as our biggest competitors, it shouldn't mean that we exclude them from collaborations. It is important to establish relationships with your competitors because it allows you to unify behind a common goal, ideate stronger solutions, and provides the opportunity for each party to bring a new perspective to the equation.

Thank you to General Motors for the opportunity for us to talk about our solution. With the $50,000 award, htm.elle will be able to build the next generation of female leaders and innovators in technology, engineering, arts, science, and mathematics. The funds would allow us to create a maker-lab space, where we would use part of the money to purchase machinery, tools, and supplies for our girls to build out their prototypes. 

It would also allow us to purchase computers for the classroom and loaner laptops for girls who don’t have access to one at home. Part of the $50,000 would be allocated to transportation assistance for girls who cannot afford the commute or have parents who are not able to drop/pick up their daughters due to work obligations. This award would also allow us to explore the option of digitalizing our education for girls who cannot physically attend our programs, as well as open up more locations nationally for our girls to attend. 

Any remaining monetary funds will go towards enhancing the program to make it more immersive, as well as allow us to bring on more qualified staff such as tutors, counselors, mentors, scholarships, and more to capitalize on our girl's success.

Thank you to Vodafone Americas Foundation for the opportunity for us to talk about our solution. With the $75,000 award, htm.elle will truly be able to create a lasting social impact on the communities that we work with, as well as build an ecosystem of empowered young women and girls. With the award, we want to allocate a generous amount of the proceeds to creating scholarship opportunities for our program alumni to pursue postsecondary tracts in TEAMS, as well as their venture. We truly believe that by investing in our girls, we are investing in the integrity of society’s future. 

We will also use portions of the proceed to sustain their interest in technology by installing hackathons, make-a-thons, and workshops that build upon soft, technological, and team-building skills. This award would also allow us to explore the option of digitalizing our education for girls who cannot physically attend our programs and open up more locations for girls to attend. We want to encourage them to continue learning new skills by opening up more capstone classes that will allow them to continue to explore any faucets of their prototype and imagination. 

Any remaining proceeds will go towards machinery, tools, school supplies, computers, laptops, mentors, facilitators, tutoring, counseling and more for our girls. This will allow us to fully capitalize and invest in our girl's success.

Thank you to the Morgridge Family Foundation for the opportunity for us to talk about our solution. With the $25,000 award, htm.elle will be able to make investments in the individuals who come from communities that we are trying to transform. A generous amount of the proceeds will go towards creating scholarship opportunities for our program alumni to pursue postsecondary tracts in TEAMS, as well as their venture. 

Your generosity would also allow us to create a maker-lab space, where we would use part of the money to purchase machinery, tools, and supplies for our girls to build out their prototypes. It would also allow us to purchase computers for the classroom and loaner laptops for girls who don’t have access to one at home. This award would also allow us to explore the option of digitalizing our education for girls who cannot physically attend our programs and open up more locations nationally for other girls to attend.

Any remaining monetary funds will go towards enhancing the program to make it more immersive, as well as allow us to bring on more qualified staff such as tutors, counselors, mentors, and more to capitalize on our girl's success.