Maya and her co-founder were building a clinical-trial recruitment AI but every angel they pitched wanted them to relocate to NYC or Boston. They wanted to stay in Philadelphia and grow on non-dilutive capital.
GrantsForYou matched them to a PA state grant specifically funding women-led technology innovation. AI drafted the technology innovation and market section; the co-founders layered in their pilot-hospital data.
Award week 14. $110K funded two engineering hires and 6 months of compute. First paying pilot signed in month 5.
"Our seed deck now opens with this grant award. It's the best social proof we have."
Why women-founder grants are a wedge into other capital
Winning a state innovation grant signals technical credibility to downstream investors. "Our seed deck now opens with the grant award. It's social proof."
How co-founder grants compare to solo-founder grants
Most state women-in-tech programs require 51%+ female ownership across all founders combined — not per founder. Two co-founders splitting 50/50 generally qualify.
What state-level pilots unlocked
The grant included a state-facilitated introduction to a regional health system, which became their first paying pilot. "The grant wasn't just money — it was a customer."