Aubilities – Empowering Neurodiversity with Hive Founders’ direction and mentorship
- Joan Abebe
- Oct 28, 2024
- 4 min read
Background
From Corporate to Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurship
Ritu Kiran’s journey into entrepreneurship was not a conventional one. With a career built on management consulting and HR tech, Ritu made the decision to pivot her life after her son was diagnosed autistic. This marked a turning point as she began to immerse herself in understanding the challenges faced by the neurodivergent community. Her extensive research revealed alarming statistics, such as the lack of support and the discrimination faced by individuals with conditions such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia and more.
Determined to make a difference, Ritu founded Aubilities in 2020 with a mission to raise awareness of neurodiversity and help organisations become more neuro-inclusive. The company stands on three key pillars:
Raising awareness
Through educational content, events, and training, Aubilities helps organisations understand why neurodiversity is a strength and why it's crucial for modern workplaces.
Providing support
Aubilities offers assessments that identify strengths, challenges, and accommodations required for neurodivergent individuals to thrive in the workplace.
Data insights
Aubilities helps organisations collect anonymous data about their workforce's neurodiverse composition, offering invaluable insights for building more inclusive teams.
Challenge
The Struggles of Scaling as a First-Time Founder
Despite the company's strong mission and its growing list of high-profile clients, such as Mars and Sony Music, Ritu faced several significant challenges. As a first-time founder, she found herself stretched thin, trying to manage all aspects of the business. From product development to securing funding, Ritu was navigating uncharted waters. Though Aubilities was generating revenue, she reinvested it into refining the product, which left little room for growth without external capital.
The key challenge for Ritu was understanding how to pitch her company to investors. While she knew Aubilities had potential, she lacked the confidence and knowledge to present a compelling case to investors, particularly regarding financial projections. She realised that she needed guidance to fill in the gaps in her understanding of investment and business scaling.
Why Hive Founders?
Choosing the Right Accelerator for Support
Ritu explored several accelerator programs to find the right fit. While other programs offered learning opportunities, they lacked the structure and accountability that she needed to push her business forward. After initial hesitation about Hive Founders due to the upfront cost, she chose to invest in herself and Aubilities by joining the program.
Hive Founders quickly stood out for several reasons:
Structured Learning and Accountability
Hive provided a well-organised program with a clear structure, making sure Ritu was held accountable for implementing what she learned. Weekly tasks, combined with dedicated mentorship, ensured that she stayed on track.
Tailored Curriculum
While the program is adaptive to each founder’s stage, whether they are at pre-seed and raising for the first time or seed stage having raised before, the content perfectly matched what Ritu needed as a first time founder. From perfecting her pitch deck to understanding investor expectations, the curriculum was practical and immediately applicable.
Personalised Mentorship
One of Hive's unique offerings was pairing Ritu with a mentor, Caroline, who provided consistent support throughout the program. Ritu developed a lasting relationship with Caroline, who continued to advise her even after the program ended.
Differentiation from Other Accelerators
A Focus on Female Founders and Meaningful Support
Ritu found Hive Founders truly invested in her success. She felt that Hive genuinely cared about developing a program that was not only effective but also tailored to the specific needs of female entrepreneurs. The weekly mentorship and structured content were game-changers, helping Ritu refine her pitch, sharpen her financial acumen, and prepare for investor meetings with confidence.
Hive’s approach was much more intensive and supportive, giving her the tools she needed to succeed while maintaining a strong connection with her mentor.
Results
From Preparation to Securing Funding
Hive Founders made a significant impact on Ritu and Aubilities. The emphasis on creating a perfect pitch deck, understanding financial projections, and learning how to navigate investor conversations led to rapid progress for Ritu. After completing the program, she felt more confident in her ability to pitch Aubilities to investors.
While the journey was not without its challenges, Ritu ultimately secured funding within four months of completing the Hive program. This funding allowed her to accelerate Aubilities’ growth, focusing on engineering and product development as well as expanding her sales and marketing efforts.
Conclusion
Aubilities' Future with Hive Founders' Support
Ritu’s journey with Aubilities is still unfolding, but her experience with Hive Founders was pivotal in getting her company to where it is today. The program not only equipped her with the tools to secure funding but also gave her the confidence and support needed to scale her business.
For other female founders, Ritu’s story is a testament to the value of Hive Founders. The structured program, the accountability, and the personalized mentorship provide the kind of support that can make all the difference for first-time entrepreneurs. Hive Founders offers more than just an accelerator—it offers a pathway to success.
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