Microsoft-supported effort to advise female-led software startups reveals new cohort

The first Saas Launch Lab cohort includes two Seattle-area tech leaders: Advocat Tech CEO Pradnya Desh (left), and Automaton CEO M.H. Lines.

SaaS Launch Lab, a new effort to boost female-led enterprise software companies, announced the 12 companies selected to participate in the program, including two from the Seattle area.

SaaS Launch Lab is a joint project of Microsoft’s venture fund, M12, and Project W, a Davis Wright Tremaine initiative to support female founders.

The lab is holding five virtual workshops for the pre-seed companies. The topics covered include refining a proof of concept, finding a product-market fit, building a team, creating a deck for making your VC pitch and a seed round how-to. The workshops wrap up in October with 1-on-1 pitches with M12 investors.

Participating Northwest companies include:

Advocat Technologies, a Bellevue-based platform addressing legal needs by using AI to create documents from attorney conversations. The CEO is Pradnya Desh.Automaton, Seattle software platform that provides automated testing for sales and marketing technology. The co-founder and CEO is M.H. Lines.

The organizers have not decided if this will become an annual event.

M12 will also be a program partner for Project W’s Women Entrepreneurs Boot Camp that’s taking place in early October. The event targets women founders in fintech, cybersecurity/data management, and plant-based protein. Companies need to apply by Sept. 11 to be considered for participation in the virtual boot camp.

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