W4C Startup School IV: Boosting female talent in cybersecurity through entrepreneurship

There are already 34 teams of women startup leaders who have gone through the W4C Startup School program since 2022 and we want to tell you all about this new edition that has just ended, but which is just the beginning for them: the entrepreneurs.

The cybersecurity industry moves fast, but talent moves even faster when it is offered a space where it can grow, train and connect. This is exactly what we have experienced in the 4th edition of W4C Startup School, our entrepreneurship program specialized in cybersecurity entrepreneurship led by women.

This year, nine female founders demonstrated that innovation and the female gaze are essential to building a more secure and diverse digital future.

Alumni, trainers and mentors in the group photo of W4C Startup School IV

An entrepreneurship program designed for women in cybersecurity

Startups participating in W4C Startup School IV

W4C Startup School is a Tetuan Valley initiative created in partnership with Women4Cyber Spain to promote women founders who are developing innovative solutions in the field of cybersecurity and give them the visibility they deserve.

In this edition, 9 projects led by women have participated in an intensive course that combines:

Training in key areas of entrepreneurship;

• Specialized cybersecurity mentoring;

• Accompaniment to accelerate the development of the project;

• Connection with strategic agents of the technological ecosystem.

Our objective is clear: to strengthen female talent in cybersecurity and reduce the gender gap in a sector where their presence is essential.

An ecosystem that drives change: trainers, mentors and mentorees

No entrepreneurship program works without a great team behind it, and this edition was a perfect example.

The trainers of this edition were: Nazareth Rodrigáñez, Elena García-Mascaraque, Lorena Ionescu, Angelica Pimentel y Carin Perera. They provided technical and practical knowledge in key areas of startup development: product, business, sales, legal, finance, marketing and pitch.

For their part, the mentors accompanied the entrepreneurs with a mix of experience, critical vision and continuous support, helping them to move forward with clarity in their strategy and value proposition. Thank you very much for being exemplary guides for the startups in this edition! Nacho García Egea, Elena García, Capucine Bardet, Vitori Hernandez, Hector Guantes, Nuria Andres, Dayana Salcedo, Sara González, Carolina Bouvard y Jezer Ferreira. 

Their involvement is what makes this program a real growth space for those who are taking their first steps in cybersecurity entrepreneurship.

Masterclass by Sophie Vurpillot

A Demo Day with a masterclass that made us look inwards

Demo Day was not only the official closing of the program; it was a turning point.

We had the opportunity to count on Sophie Vurpillotwho gave a deeply inspiring masterclass on self-knowledge, decision making and leadership.
A session that left the auditorium in silence... and then full of reflections.

After this very special introduction, it was the turn of the entrepreneurs: nine pitches full of purpose. Their evolution in just one month was evident.

A ninja as a symbol of the entrepreneurial journey

One of the most emotional moments of the Demo Day was the presentation of the official t-shirt of this edition: A ninja woman, created as a symbol of the struggle, resilience and strength that characterizes all the participants of the W4C Startup School program.

A detail that represents much more than a closure: it represents the beginning of the path that each will continue to build in the cybersecurity ecosystem.

T-shirt design for the 4th edition of W4C Startup School

Networking and a closing full of emotion

To close the event, we made room for what we enjoyed most: real conversations, new contacts and connections, and proud hugs.
Because this program ends here, but the journey of these women in cybersecurity is just beginning.

W4C Startup School IV Partner Companies

Thanks to those who make it possible

We would like to thank the essential support of the collaborators of this 4th edition:
Google for Startups, Netskope, WatchGuard, Zscaler y BTwhose participation promotes the growth of female talent and the consolidation of cybersecurity entrepreneurship projects in Spain.

Are you a female cybersecurity entrepreneur?

If you have a project and you are looking for an entrepreneurship program that will help you to promote it, we want to meet you, we want to meet you!
We will soon announce a new edition of W4C Startup School, created for women who want to make their mark in the cybersecurity sector. Follow us at to be aware of the new date ;)

And if you want to support this program from your company, you can contact us and we will tell you the possible ways to do it.