Why was Leap created?

Kadren Cowansage created Leap because she felt there wasn't a suitable online place for open discussions, especially for women, where conversations didn't quickly escalate into arguments.

How did the idea for Leap originate?

The idea for Leap was sparked at the first Female Founders Conference, where Kadren realized the significant number of strong, technically skilled women in one place, motivating her to build a community for them.

What is Leap's approach to building community?

Leap emphasizes the use of real identities to foster stronger social and professional relationships, hypothesizing that this hybrid approach cultivates civil discourse and authentic conversations.

What kind of topics are discussed on Leap?

Members discuss a wide range of topics, including career development, tactical business issues, relationships, raising kids, favorite books, and podcasts, facilitating both personal and professional growth.

How can someone join Leap?

Interested individuals can join Leap by visiting the website leap.ycombinator.com, which is the primary platform for this online network aimed at women in tech.

Key Moments

Cadran Cowansage Announces Leap at the Seattle Female Founders Conference

Y Combinator

Science & Technology4 min read6 min video

May 4, 2018|2,178 views|20|2

YC Y Combinator Cadran Cowansage Leap Women in Tech Female Founder

Save to Pod

Key Moments

TL;DR

Leap is a new online community designed for women in tech to foster authentic conversations and professional growth, addressing the lack of safe online spaces for women.

Key Insights

Leap was created because the founder felt there wasn't an online space where women in tech could talk openly without escalating to shouting matches.

The initial idea for Leap sparked at the first Female Founders Conference, revealing a large number of strong, driven women in tech.

Leap requires members to use their real identities to foster civil discourse and authentic conversations, hypothesizing that this hybrid social and professional environment builds stronger relationships.

The community has grown to approximately 2,000 members, including software engineers, founders, VCs, designers, and writers.

Members have already reported success in finding co-founders and new jobs through the Leap network.

Discussions on Leap span a wide range of topics, from career development and tactical business issues to personal life, relationships, and hobbies.

The need for authentic online spaces for women in tech

Cadran Cowansage, a software engineer at Y Combinator, introduced Leap, a private online network specifically designed for women in technology. The impetus for creating Leap stemmed from Cowansage's personal experience of feeling a lack of safe and open online spaces for discussion. She observed that online conversations often quickly devolve into unproductive arguments, leading many, particularly women, to disengage. Cowansage hypothesized that a community intentionally built with a core culture and decision-making processes led by women could offer a different, more constructive environment. This observation and idea solidified the foundation of Leap, aiming to provide a platform where women can engage in dialogues on any topic without fear of hostile escalation or judgment.

Inspiration from the Female Founders Conference

The concept for Leap first took shape during the initial Female Founders Conference. Cowansage, then living in New York, flew in for the event and was struck by the sheer number of intelligent and ambitious women gathered in one room. This experience contrasted sharply with her day-to-day reality, where she felt she only had a few female friends in tech. Seeing so many accomplished technical experts, innovators, and influential figures in a single space highlighted a hidden density of talent and potential within the industry that wasn't always visible. This realization fueled her desire to connect these individuals in a more sustained and meaningful way.

Fostering civil discourse through real identities

A core tenet of Leap is the requirement for members to use their real identities. Cowansage's hypothesis is that the strongest and most valuable relationships are built upon genuine social and professional interactions. By creating a network that blends these two aspects, Leap aims to cultivate a culture of civil discourse and authentic conversation. This approach is intended to move beyond superficial online interactions and foster deeper connections. The belief is that by being transparent about who they are, members will engage more thoughtfully and constructively, leading to more meaningful professional and personal development opportunities. This emphasis on real identity is seen as crucial for building trust and encouraging vulnerability within the community.

Growth and diversification of the community

Starting as a small internal project for Cowansage and her colleagues at YC, Leap has expanded significantly. After validating its usefulness and fixing initial bugs, the platform was progressively shared with a wider network. This expansion included female founders within the YC network, friends, former colleagues, and crucially, collaborations with organizations dedicated to supporting women of color in tech and women in engineering. This strategic outreach has contributed to Leap's current membership of approximately 2,000 individuals. The community is diverse, comprising professionals from various roles such as software engineers, founders, venture capitalists, designers, writers, and those in sales and operations, showcasing a broad spectrum of expertise within the tech industry.

A wide spectrum of discussion topics

Leap is designed to be a comprehensive platform where members can discuss a vast array of subjects. Conversations range from professional development and tackling tactical challenges in their companies to personal life topics like relationships with partners and raising children. Members also engage in lighter discussions about their favorite books and podcasts. This broad scope reflects the reality that professional and personal lives are intertwined, and authentic connections can be forged across diverse interests. The aim is to create a holistic community that supports women in all aspects of their lives and careers.

Tangible benefits for members

The community structure on Leap has already yielded significant benefits for its members. Beyond casual conversation, the platform is actively facilitating tangible outcomes. Cowansage shared that members have already reported successes in finding co-founders for new ventures and securing new job opportunities. This demonstrates the power of a connected network where social and professional interactions can directly translate into career advancement and entrepreneurial success. The ability to leverage these deep, authentic relationships to propel each other forward is a key metric of Leap's value.

Invitation to join Leap

Cowansage concluded her announcement by inviting interested individuals to join the Leap community. She provided the website address, leap.ycombinator.com, encouraging women in tech to explore the platform. The call to action emphasized the value Leap offers as a space for genuine connection, support, and professional growth, expressing eagerness to welcome new members and foster further development within the network.

Mentioned in This Episode

●Software & Apps

●Organizations

●Concepts

●People Referenced

How to Make Leap a Success

Practical takeaways from this episode

Do This

Contribute to a core culture set by women.

Make product and software decisions with women in mind.

Build relationships based on social and professional interactions.

Foster civil discourse and authentic conversations.

Share your favorite books and podcasts.

Discuss career development and tactical company issues.

Talk about relationships and raising children.

Avoid This

Engage in shouting matches online.

Opt out of online conversations.

Use anonymous or fake identities.

Common Questions

Leap is a private online network created by Kadren Cowansage for women in tech. It aims to provide a safe space for authentic conversations, career development, and professional networking.