St. Louis native and owner of Nerdy Diva, Shanae Chapman, recently won two Women Who Empower Innovator awards from Northeastern University (her alma mater in Boston). According to its website, regarding “Powering Social Impact,” these innovators have shown leadership and excellence in innovative problem solving to further a diverse, inclusive, and connected society.
Launched in 2021, the Women Who Empower Innovator Awards recognize bold, creative changemakers in Northeastern’s vast entrepreneurial ecosystem—and provide them with resources and recognition to elevate their ideas, products, businesses, and brands.
What truly sets the Innovator Awards apart is that the program recognizes and celebrates the innovators themselves—not just their business idea or venture. Program applicants are first evaluated by a committee to determine semifinalists, and then reviewed by a team of experienced judges on several rubrics including creativity, leadership, entrepreneurship, authenticity, community and inclusion, track record, and the overall potential impact of their idea.
After years of witnessing inequities in the product development and startup workplace, Chapman launched Nerdy Diva in 2018. As a boutique, Black woman-owned tech solutions company offering research, design, training, and content strategy, Nerdy Diva’s mission is to inspire creative problem solving in tech and society, with a focus on increasing access and opportunity for everyone.
