Gettler was named to the list for her efforts to establish the Women’s Innovation Network.
Mandy Gettler, Senior Innovation Asset Administrator in the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation, has been honored by the Eugene Chamber of Commerce for her role in creating the Women’s Innovation Network. The 20 Under 40 Awards was established in 2008 to recognize young professionals in leadership positions in the community.
Gettler, who graduated from the UO in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in English with a folklore emphasis, was inspired to start WIN after learning through a professional conference about the low numbers of women in tech transfer — the process of taking an invention to market.
She notes that fewer than 11 percent of university start-ups have a female founder or co-founder. Women submit 35-40 percent fewer invention disclosures than their male peers. Despite these realities, women-led start-ups earn more than twice the revenue invested per dollar than male-led start-ups.
“Certainly, there are reasons behind these figures, and it’s imperative that women have conversations with other women about the challenges,” Gettler said. “No amount of business education can prepare you for certain things. Conversations can help, but they only occur in relationships that feel safe.”
Working with Christine Gramer, Senior Technology Development Associate, the pair outlined requirements of such a program: long-term, involves a cohort model in which women could foster peer and mentor relationships and includes programming that addresses the questions women might have about the innovation process.
The Women's Innovation Network (WIN) is Gramer and Gettler’s answer to the innovation gap. It is a nine-month, cross-disciplinary program that helps University of Oregon faculty, graduate students and entrepreneurs navigate gender-based barriers to bringing their research to market or to launching and sustaining their businesses.
Gettler was nominated by Caitlin Vargas, who serves as the Startup Community Director for Onward Eugene, a partner of WIN.
“Mandy exemplifies the trailblazer’s spirit; she is willing to fail mightily trying new things because only through continued innovation will we achieve change,” Vargas wrote in her nomination letter of Gettler. “Participants in WIN feel welcomed, involved and self-assured of their success. The startup community has become more enriched by the diversity and inclusivity of programs which are a result of meaningful consultations that Mandy has had with stakeholders.”
The program, which is in its first year, is funded for up to three years by UO’s Innovation Partnership Services (IPS). Following this initial phase of the program, Gettler and fellow organizers hope to secure additional grant or philanthropic funding to sustain the program. While the 20-person cohort receives additional program support, WIN’s seminars are open to everyone.
“One of the largest barriers to women participating in these spaces is unfunded obligations, even in households with relatively equal gender roles,” Gettler said. “It’s typically the women who end up doing the childcare, elder care and household work. We did not want this program to be yet another unfunded obligation. Our program is unique in that we compensate participants for their time and energy. They bring value, perspective, skills and expertise. We’re there to support them and allow them an opportunity to explore and challenge themselves. Keeping that compensation component is crucial to the success of the program.”
Chuck Williams, Associate Vice President for Innovation, said that when Gettler and Gramer came to him with their idea, he knew it was a great opportunity for IPS to play a role in supporting women to pursue their dreams and accelerate innovation in Oregon. Recognizing the innovation gap is a national issue, Williams hopes to continue to support building a diverse ecosystem of innovation at Oregon.
“Mandy took what she learned as an intrapreneur in UO’s Center for Applied Second Language Studies working with IPS, and in only a week after joining IPS, combined her background with our practice and created a program that is actively impacting not only the lives of the women who are participating, but the area community as well,” he said. “The success of the program so far is a testament to the power of dreaming big, public-private collaboration, and a commitment to closing the innovation gap for the underestimated.”
— By Kelley Christensen, Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation