Tier 1 — Pitch immediately
Tier 2 — Strong opportunity
Tier 3 — Build for 2027+
Active outreach2 in pipeline
June 28
New York City
🇺🇸
Pride
NYC PrideFest — Heritage of Pride
Largest LGBTQIA+ street fair in the US. 2.5M+ attendees. Zero dedicated sapphic activation in 56 years. She & HER × Queer Aunties in the VIP pit.
● Active▾ Details
2.5M+
Attendees
What She & HER brings
- Queer Aunties — community events brand with loyal sapphic following
- She & HER founding member activation + QR moments in VIP pit
- First dedicated sapphic activation in PrideFest's 56-year history
- Google for Startups + NVIDIA-backed credibility signal
Why they want us
- Corporate sponsors pulling back — community partners are the 2026 story
- She & HER fills a sapphic gap they've never programmed for
- We ask for logistics support, not money — easy yes
Projections
500–2K
Direct touchpoints
25–100
Founding members
45K+
QA content reach
StatusPitch doc live at pride.sheandher.io/pridefestnyc. Email drafted.pridefestcoordinator@nycpride.org
Jul 25–Aug 8
Amsterdam
🇳🇱
Pride
WorldPride Amsterdam 2026 — Pride Amsterdam
First-ever WorldPride in Amsterdam. 400K+ Canal Parade spectators. "Who Run the World Festival" — official lesbian street party — already in the programme.
● Active▾ Details
400K+
Canal Parade
What She & HER brings
- The No Homo Show (163K+ IG, 113K TikTok, 1.5M likes)
- Queer Aunties — 4-city US tour before Amsterdam
- 27-day content arc from NYC feeding Amsterdam anticipation
- Founding member activation at official sapphic street party spaces
Why they want us
- TNHS + QA reach 276K+ US sapphic followers — international visibility they don't have natively
- Women & Pride framing is "We no longer ask for space" — She & HER is that ethos
- Low lift ask: logistics + community partner listing, not a budget line
Projections
2K–8K
Direct touchpoints
100–400
Founding members
55%
Est. international users
StatusPitch doc built at pride.sheandher.io/amsterdam. Email drafted. Send once subdomain live.info@pride.amsterdam
Pitch now — Pride activations6 events
May 21–25
Washington D.C.
🇺🇸
Pride
DC Black Pride — Center for Black Equity
35th anniversary. First Black Pride in the world (est. 1991). "Bliss Pride" women's party by A 2 Zee Events. Memorial Day Weekend. Reach out this week — event is May 21.
→ Pitch now▾ Details
50K+
Attendees
What She & HER brings
- TNHS — Black sapphic podcast duo whose audience is exactly who attends DC Black Pride
- She & HER founding member activation at Bliss Pride women's party
- Digital reach to 276K+ sapphic followers nationally
- Black-founded, Black community-focused platform — genuine alignment
Why they want us
- 35th anniversary — milestone energy, they want new community voices
- Bliss Pride gets national digital amplification it hasn't had
- TNHS has real cultural credibility with Black queer women — not a brand activation
Projections
300–1K
Bliss Pride touchpoints
15–50
Founding members
163K+
TNHS reach
UrgencyEvent is May 21 — reach out immediately.centerforblackequity.org
Aug 28–Sep 1
Atlanta, GA
🇺🇸
Pride
Atlanta Black Pride — Vision Community Foundation
Largest Black gay Pride globally. 100K+ attendees. Traxx Girls Inc. runs dedicated women's programming. Labor Day Weekend. Mayor-hosted reception.
→ Pitch now▾ Details
100K+
Attendees
What She & HER brings
- TNHS + QA — deeply trusted in the Black queer women's community ABP serves
- She & HER founding member activation anchored to Traxx Girls women's programming
- Houston to Atlanta — natural geographic expansion for She & HER
- Google-backed tech platform that elevates ABP's national profile
Why they want us
- Traxx Girls women's programming has been underleveraged digitally — She & HER changes that
- $2M revenue event — they want partners who bring real community audience, not just money
- Black founder, Black community platform — real alignment story
Projections
500–2K
Women's programming touchpoints
25–100
Founding members
100K+
Total ABP audience
ContactReach Vision Community Foundation + Traxx Girls Inc. separately.atlantablackprideldr.com
Sep 30–Oct 5
Palm Springs, CA
🇺🇸
Pride
The Dinah — BellaRose Productions
World's largest lesbian/queer women's festival. New ownership (BellaRose) Feb 2026. Bridge edition → full 15K+ 2027 return. Highest projected founding member conversion rate on the list.
→ Pitch now▾ Details
~10K
2026 bridge
What She & HER brings
- 100% sapphic audience — highest founding member conversion rate of any activation
- TNHS + QA amplify The Dinah's BellaRose rebrand to 276K+ national sapphic followers
- She & HER launches weeks after The Dinah — founding members become active users immediately
Why BellaRose wants us
- New ownership needs new community energy — She & HER is that
- She & HER is the year-round platform The Dinah has never had
- Lock in the 2027 full return partnership now before anyone else does
Projections
500–2K
Direct touchpoints
50–200
Founding members (warm crowd)
15K+
2027 full return target
StrategyActivate 2026. Lock in as founding partner of the 2027 full return.thedinah.com
Oct 5–8
New York City
🇺🇸
Pride
Lesbians Who Tech (LWTSQUAD) Summit
13th annual NYC summit. 10,000+ attendees. Enterprise-ticketing insulates from sponsor pullback. The sapphic tech community — the room She & HER was built for.
→ Pitch now▾ Details
10K+
Attendees
What She & HER brings
- Google for Startups + NVIDIA-backed sapphic tech platform — what this room asked for
- She & HER is live by October — this is a live product announcement, not a pitch
- Desirée's background (Google Fuchsia, Microsoft/Xbox) speaks directly here
Why LWT wants us
- She & HER is the product this community has been waiting for — showcasing it is a win for LWT
- Black female founder in sapphic tech = powerful signal for LWT's DEI mission
- Google + NVIDIA credentials fit LWT's enterprise credibility perfectly
Projections
500–2K
Touchpoints
50–200
Tech founding members
Power
Users — day-1 advocates
Pitch angle"We're launching the platform this community asked for, and we want to do it here."lwtsquad.com
Jul 4
London, UK
🇬🇧
Pride
Pride in London + UK Black Pride
1.7M spectators. UK Black Pride has strong Black sapphic presence. Two targets — UK Black Pride is the more natural first yes. Pitch both.
→ Pitch now▾ Details
1.7M
Spectators
What She & HER brings
- TNHS — Black sapphic media credibility resonating with UK Black queer community
- She & HER founding member activation for UK Black sapphic women
- Content bridge between US and UK Black sapphic communities
Why UK Black Pride wants us
- Community-funded, community-driven — same ethos as She & HER
- TNHS amplifies UK Black Pride to 163K+ US followers — real transatlantic reach
Projections
300–1K
UK Black Pride touchpoints
15–60
UK founding members
163K+
US reach via TNHS
StrategyUK Black Pride first, then Pride in London women's strand.ukblackpride.org.uk
Sep 9–13
Paris, France
🇫🇷
Pride
Global Black Pride — Paris 2026
First time Global Black Pride lands in Francophone Europe. "Refuge and resistance" framing for the Black queer diaspora. Organizers: Monroe France + Rikki Nathanson.
→ Pitch now▾ Details
TBC
First Paris edition
What She & HER brings
- TNHS — 1.5M TikTok likes — amplification of GBP Paris to Black queer women in the US diaspora
- She & HER founding member activation for Black sapphic women across the diaspora
- Platform that embodies the cross-border connection GBP Paris is building
Why they want us
- First Francophone edition — they want new partners and new reach
- She & HER amplifies GBP Paris to US Black queer women who can't attend but will hear through TNHS
Projections
200–800
Touchpoints
10–40
International founding members
163K+
TNHS reach
ContactReach Monroe France + Rikki Nathanson directly.queer.paris for event details
Pitch now — Cultural, community & tech events8 events
These are not Pride events but they are where the community is. Black cultural festivals, LGBTQ+ film festivals, tech conferences, community summits — She & HER belongs in these rooms just as much as at a Pride parade.
Nov 2–6
Houston, TX
🇺🇸
Tech
AfroTech 2026 — 10th Anniversary
AfroTech returns for its 10th anniversary at the George R. Brown Convention Center — She & HER's home city. Tens of thousands of Black tech innovators, entrepreneurs, and creatives. She & HER is already in the AfroTech ecosystem.
→ Pitch now▾ Details
30K+
Attendees
What She & HER brings
- She & HER is an AfroTech ecosystem company — this is a homecoming, not a cold pitch
- Black female founder building sapphic tech — the AfroTech audience is the origin community
- She & HER is launching Q3 2026 — AfroTech is the tech-community launch celebration weeks later
- TNHS content at AfroTech reaches Black queer tech women across the country
- Houston-based — She & HER can go all in with local presence, energy, events
Why AfroTech wants She & HER
- 10th anniversary — they want to spotlight what Black founders have built over the decade
- She & HER is the sapphic tech platform that didn't exist when AfroTech started — that's the story
- Google for Startups + NVIDIA backed — fits AfroTech's celebration of Black tech excellence
- Houston hometown pride — a She & HER activation at AfroTech is a local culture moment
Projections
1K–5K
Direct touchpoints
50–200
Black tech founding members
Home
She & HER's Houston launch
This is the #1 non-Pride event on this list. She & HER is an AfroTech company, She & HER launches in Q3 2026, AfroTech is in Houston. This is the celebration.
PriorityThis is She & HER's tech community homecoming. Already in the ecosystem — confirm 10th anniversary activation now.afrotech.com
Jul 3–5
New Orleans, LA
🇺🇸
Cultural
Essence Festival of Culture — 30th Anniversary
Largest gathering of Black women in America. 500K+ attendees. New Orleans, July 4th weekend. 30th anniversary edition presented by Coca-Cola. Significant sapphic community presence every year — this is where She & HER's community already goes.
→ Pitch now▾ Details
500K+
Attendees
What She & HER brings
- The sapphic layer that Essence has never formally activated — She & HER names it and shows up for it
- TNHS + QA — Black women creators with deep community trust, exactly who attends Essence
- She & HER founding member activation for the Black sapphic women who are already at Essence every year but have never had a dedicated space
- Content that reaches 276K+ sapphic followers nationally from inside Essence
Why Essence wants us
- 30th anniversary — they want new energy and new community stories
- The sapphic community within Black women is massive at Essence — She & HER gives it a name and a home
- Google for Startups backing + Black founder story fits Essence's "commerce" pillar perfectly
- TNHS and QA amplify Essence's reach into an audience segment Essence hasn't digitally owned
Projections
1K–5K
Direct touchpoints
50–200
Founding members
500K+
Total Essence audience
Essence happens July 3–5. WorldPride Amsterdam opens July 25. The content arc between them writes itself.
StrategyPitch to Essence as the sapphic community activation they've never had. Frame as the missing piece. 30th anniversary = milestone energy.essence.com/essencefestival2026
Jul 2026
Los Angeles, CA
🇺🇸
Film
Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival
One of the world's most prestigious LGBTQ film festivals. 200+ films, 40,000+ attendees, 11 days. Strong sapphic films and filmmakers historically. GLAAD partners annually. Direct line to the queer cultural tastemaker community.
→ Pitch now▾ Details
40K+
Attendees
What She & HER brings
- She & HER community members who are exactly the Outfest audience — sapphic storytelling lovers
- TNHS — content creators who cover queer film and culture with a Black sapphic lens
- She & HER founding member activation in a room full of cultural early adopters
- Potential She & HER branded screening or panel around sapphic film representation
Why Outfest wants us
- She & HER is a platform for the community Outfest serves — natural extension of their mission
- TNHS brings a Black sapphic media perspective to Outfest programming that amplifies representation conversations
- Tech platform partnership helps Outfest reach sapphic community year-round, not just during the festival
Projections
500–2K
Touchpoints
25–100
Cultural founding members
Tastemakers
Influence beyond the room
AnglePropose a She & HER-branded sapphic storytelling panel or post-screening activation. Align with GLAAD partnership.outfest.org
Oct 2026
New York City
🇺🇸
Film
NewFest — NYC LGBTQ Film Festival
New York's premiere LGBTQ film festival. Partners with GLAAD + Frameline for the CHEERS QUEERS event at Sundance. Strong queer women's film programming. NYC cultural tastemaker community.
→ Pitch now▾ Details
20K+
Attendees
What She & HER brings
- She & HER founding member activation in NYC — follows on from PrideFest momentum in the same city
- TNHS as media partner covering NewFest sapphic film programming to 163K+ followers
- She & HER branded activation around women's/sapphic film programming strand
Why NewFest wants us
- She & HER amplifies NewFest's sapphic programming to a digital audience they don't have
- NYC double-play: PrideFest in June, NewFest in October — She & HER owns the NYC sapphic calendar in 2026
Projections
300–1K
Touchpoints
15–50
NYC founding members
163K+
TNHS reach
StrategyNewFest in October completes the NYC calendar: PrideFest June → NewFest October.newfest.net
Jan 2027
TBD
🇺🇸
Conference
Creating Change — National LGBTQ Task Force
Largest LGBTQ advocacy conference in the US. 38th annual edition was January 2026 in Washington DC. 3,000+ activists, workshops, ballroom parties, organizing training. The policy and organizing heartbeat of the movement.
→ Pitch now▾ Details
3K+
Activists
What She & HER brings
- She & HER is a platform built for the community Creating Change serves — arrival of a sapphic tech platform is a Creating Change story
- Desirée as a speaker/panelist on tech, community, and sapphic safety in digital spaces
- Founding member activation at the LGBTQ movement's organizing hub
Why Creating Change wants us
- 2026 edition happened in January — begin outreach for 2027 now
- Tech platform for sapphic safety and community is directly in scope for Creating Change's mission
- Black female founder building for the community = powerful representation story for the conference
Projections
300–1K
Touchpoints
15–50
Activist founding members
Advocacy
Movement credibility
NoteCreating Change 2026 wrapped in January. The Task Force is already planning 2027. Reach out now — introduce She & HER, position Desirée as a 2027 speaker on tech, sapphic community, and digital safety.thetaskforce.org/creating-change
Sep 2026
Atlanta, GA
🇺🇸
Cultural
One Musicfest — Atlanta
Atlanta's premier music festival celebrating Black culture and artistry. Historically strong Black queer community presence — often adjacent to Atlanta Black Pride energy. A music/culture entry point into the same community She & HER serves.
→ Pitch now▾ Details
TBC
2026 dates
What She & HER brings
- She & HER activation alongside Atlanta Black Pride creates an Atlanta double-play in the same city around the same community
- TNHS + QA are credible voices in the exact community that attends One Musicfest
- Music + community platform is a natural pairing — She & HER activates where culture happens
Why One Musicfest wants us
- They serve the Black queer community but don't have a platform partner that speaks directly to it
- She & HER x TNHS brings digital amplification to One Musicfest's queer women community
Projections
500–2K
Touchpoints
25–80
Founding members
Atlanta
Double-play with ABP
StrategyPair with Atlanta Black Pride (Aug 28) for an Atlanta market double-play in the same trip.onemusicfest.com
Jun 2026
San Francisco
🇺🇸
Film
Frameline SF — LGBTQ Film Festival
World's longest-running LGBTQ film festival. 50,000+ attendees. June, San Francisco. Partners with GLAAD + NewFest. Strong queer women's programming strand. Cultural institution for the sapphic community.
→ Pitch now▾ Details
50K+
Attendees
What She & HER brings
- She & HER as presenting community partner for Frameline's queer women's programming strand
- TNHS film coverage amplifying Frameline content to 163K+ sapphic followers
- Founding member activation at world's longest-running LGBTQ film festival
Why Frameline wants us
- She & HER builds the year-round community that Frameline's sapphic audience needs
- GLAAD + NewFest partnership creates a natural three-way alignment: Frameline + NewFest + She & HER
Projections
500–2K
Touchpoints
25–100
SF founding members
50K+
Frameline audience
AnglePropose She & HER as community partner for the queer women's programming strand. Align with GLAAD + NewFest existing partnership.frameline.org
Mar 2027
Los Angeles
🇺🇸
Conference
GLAAD Media Awards
The most influential LGBTQ media recognition event. LA and NYC editions. 37th annual was March 2026 in LA. Direct line to queer media, entertainment, and culture industry. High-profile visibility in the LGBTQ ecosystem.
📡 Get on radar▾ Details
Industry
Media leaders
What She & HER brings
- She & HER as a tech platform building authentic sapphic community — aligns with GLAAD's representation mission
- TNHS as a Black sapphic media voice — natural fit for GLAAD's celebration of authentic LGBTQ storytelling
- Google + NVIDIA backing gives She & HER credibility in the industry room GLAAD puts together
Why GLAAD wants us
- She & HER is a platform built for the community GLAAD advocates for — embodied mission
- Black sapphic founder at the intersection of tech and community = a GLAAD story waiting to be told
- Positioning She & HER in the GLAAD ecosystem opens doors to every queer media and entertainment contact they have
Projections
Industry
Media + entertainment network
Press
LGBTQ media coverage
2027
Build relationship in 2026
Note37th GLAAD Media Awards wrapped March 2026. Reach out now — they are already planning 2027. Enter through the Frameline + NewFest partnership as the warmest door in.glaad.org
Pitch now — Tech conferences6 events
This is a different play. Desirée has Google, Microsoft/Xbox, Etsy, Nordstrom, and Cambridge on her CV. Mike is a CTO. These aren't just activation opportunities — they're speaker slots, startup competition entries, and rooms where She & HER's tech credibility gets established. Lead with the background, arrive as a founder, leave with investors and press.
Oct 27–30
Anaheim, CA
🇺🇸
Tech
Grace Hopper Celebration — AnitaB.org
World's largest gathering of women in tech. 30,000+ attendees. Anaheim, October 27–30, 2026. Significant sapphic community within the attendee base. Desirée's product leadership at Google + Microsoft is a natural speaker profile for GHC.
→ Pitch now▾ Details
30K+
Attendees
What Desirée + She & HER brings
- Google (Fuchsia OS, Privacy & Security) + Microsoft/Xbox product leadership — a speaker profile GHC actively seeks
- Black female founder building sapphic community tech — the intersection of identity, product, and purpose GHC celebrates
- She & HER as a live product launching in Q3 2026 — "I shipped it, here's what I built and why" talk
- She & HER founding member activation for the sapphic women who attend GHC every year but have never had a dedicated platform
- TNHS content at GHC reaches the broader Black sapphic community who didn't attend
Why GHC wants Desirée
- GHC actively recruits speakers from Google and Microsoft alumni — Desirée checks both boxes
- Sapphic tech platform founder = a session that doesn't exist on most tech conference agendas — GHC wants that differentiation
- AI/ML + behavioral economics background gives Desirée credibility for technical sessions, not just "founder story" panels
- The sapphic community within GHC is large, visible, and completely without a dedicated tech platform to call home — She & HER fills that gap in the room
Projections
1K–5K
Direct touchpoints
50–200
High-quality founding members
Speaker
Desirée on GHC stage
GHC is She & HER's single biggest tech conference opportunity. 30K women in tech, significant sapphic community, and Desirée's background is exactly what GHC puts on stage.
ActionSubmit speaker proposal immediately — GHC 2026 CFP closes mid-year. She & HER activation in the expo hall alongside Desirée's session.ghc.anitab.org
Oct 13–15
San Francisco
🇺🇸
Tech
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026
The definitive startup conference. 10,000+ founders, operators, VCs. Startup Battlefield 200 competition ($100K equity-free prize). October 13–15, Moscone West SF. She & HER should be competing in Startup Battlefield and exhibiting in the expo hall.
→ Pitch now▾ Details
10K+
Attendees
What Desirée + She & HER brings
- A launched product (Q3 2026) with real founding members — She & HER arrives at Disrupt as a live platform, not a pitch deck
- Desirée's Google + Microsoft pedigree is exactly the founder background Disrupt profiles in keynotes and sessions
- Google for Startups + NVIDIA Inception backing = credibility signals the Disrupt investor audience recognizes
- Startup Battlefield entry — $100K equity-free prize, massive press coverage, investor exposure
- Expo hall presence: She & HER booth for founding member sign-ups with a live product to demo
Why Disrupt is the right room
- The investors in this room are exactly who She & HER is heading into for its next funding round
- Startup Battlefield winners get TechCrunch coverage — a She & HER Disrupt story reaches millions of tech readers
- 10,000 founders and operators who are the press, word-of-mouth, and early adopter network She & HER needs post-launch
- Sapphic tech platform at a mainstream tech conference = the differentiated story that gets written about
Projections
Apply
Startup Battlefield 200
Expo
She & HER booth + demos
Investors
Series A pipeline building
Disrupt is not just an activation — it's She & HER's mainstream tech debut and investor visibility moment.
ActionApply for Startup Battlefield 200 (applications open summer 2026). Book expo hall space. Prioritize investor meetings on the side.techcrunch.com/events/tc-disrupt-2026
Mar 2027
Austin, TX
🇺🇸
Tech
SXSW 2027 — South by Southwest
Tech + culture + music crossover. March, Austin Texas — 1 hour from Houston. 400,000+ attendees across all tracks. Strong LGBTQ+ community presence. Startup competition. Desirée is a natural SXSW speaker on community tech, AI, and sapphic digital spaces. 2026 edition already happened — pitch 2027 now.
📡 Get on radar▾ Details
400K+
Attendees
What Desirée + She & HER brings
- SXSW panels on AI + community + identity are exactly Desirée's expertise at the intersection of tech, behavioral economics, and sapphic safety
- She & HER is a Houston company — SXSW Austin is the home stage
- TNHS + QA as cultural partners amplifying the SXSW activation to 276K+ sapphic followers nationally
- SXSW startup competition entry — She & HER as a live, growing platform by March 2027
Why SXSW wants Desirée
- SXSW actively recruits tech + culture crossover speakers — She & HER is exactly that intersection
- A Black female founder building sapphic community tech in Texas = the SXSW story nobody has told yet
- "How I built a community platform for a community that didn't have one" is a 2027 SXSW keynote waiting to happen
- SXSW's LGBTQ+ programming strand is a natural She & HER activation home
Projections
Speaker
Desirée on SXSW stage
400K+
Total SXSW audience
Home
Texas founder story
Reach out nowSXSW 2026 just wrapped — reach out now. Reference what they built, introduce She & HER, and get on the 2027 radar. PanelPicker opens August 2026 — submit the day it opens.sxsw.com/panelpicker
Apr 2027
Las Vegas, NV
🇺🇸
Tech
Google Cloud Next 2027
Google's flagship cloud + AI conference. 30,000+ attendees. April, Las Vegas. 2026 edition: April 22–24. She & HER is a Google for Startups company — this is the home conference. Desirée's Fuchsia OS + Privacy & Security background at Google makes her a credible voice in this room.
📡 Get on radar▾ Details
30K+
Attendees
What Desirée + She & HER brings
- Google for Startups portfolio company on stage at Google's own conference — the origin story that lands
- Desirée's Google Fuchsia + Privacy & Security background = technical credibility in this room, not just a startup pitch
- She & HER built on Google Cloud / Firebase — a real use case story for the conference audience
- "How I used Google infrastructure to build a community safety-first platform for an underserved community" — a session Google would program
Why Google Cloud Next wants us
- Google for Startups portfolio companies are featured at Next — She & HER is eligible and should be
- Community safety + AI + privacy is a topic Google Cloud Next programs heavily — Desirée's background is the proof point
- Black female founder building with Google stack = a story Google wants to tell at its flagship event
Projections
Speaker
Google for Startups feature
30K+
Google ecosystem attendees
Press
Google's own channels amplify
Reach out nowGoogle Cloud Next 2026 just closed (April 22-24). Reach out to your Google for Startups program manager now. They are already thinking about Next 2027 speakers. You have an existing relationship through the program — use it immediately.cloud.google.com/next
Mar 2027
San Jose, CA
🇺🇸
Tech
NVIDIA GTC 2027
NVIDIA's flagship AI and GPU computing conference. March, San Jose. 2026 edition: March 16–19. She & HER is an NVIDIA Inception company. Desirée's AI/ML background is the technical credibility. Mike's engineering work is the proof of build.
📡 Get on radar▾ Details
15K+
Attendees
What Desirée + Mike + She & HER brings
- NVIDIA Inception portfolio company at NVIDIA's own conference — the strongest possible entry point
- Desirée's AI/ML + bioinformatics background gives her technical credibility in GTC's developer and researcher audience
- Mike as CTO can speak to the engineering stack, AI-assisted matching logic, and how She & HER uses NVIDIA infrastructure
- "How we used AI to build a safer, more intentional community platform" — a GTC session that doesn't sound like other GTC sessions
Why GTC wants us
- NVIDIA Inception companies are featured at GTC — She & HER has a direct line in through the program
- Community + safety + AI is a non-obvious GTC track that NVIDIA wants to develop — She & HER is the case study
- A Black female founder + CTO building AI-powered community tech = the human story GTC needs alongside the technical sessions
Projections
Speaker
Desirée + Mike at GTC
Inception
Portfolio feature
Press
NVIDIA channels amplify
Reach out nowNVIDIA GTC 2026 just wrapped (March 16-19). Reach out to your NVIDIA Inception program manager now — they are debriefing and planning GTC 2027. Both Desirée and Mike have valid technical profiles for this stage.nvidia.com/en-us/gtc + inception program manager
Nov 2026
Lisbon, Portugal
🇵🇹
Tech
Web Summit 2026
World's largest tech conference. 70,000+ attendees. Lisbon, November. Strong startup and investor track. She & HER's international credibility moment in Europe — between WorldPride Amsterdam (August) and Web Summit (November) she has a European story to tell.
→ Pitch now▾ Details
70K+
Attendees
What Desirée + She & HER brings
- She & HER activated at WorldPride Amsterdam in August — Web Summit in November is the European follow-through with a real story to tell
- Google for Startups + NVIDIA Inception backing = Web Summit startup track qualifier
- Desirée's product leadership background across Google, Microsoft, Etsy, Nordstrom — a credible speaker profile for Web Summit's main stage or startup track
- International platform with European founding members already from Amsterdam activation
Why Web Summit wants us
- Web Summit actively seeks community + social platform startups — She & HER is that category
- Black female founder in community tech is underrepresented on Web Summit's speaker roster — She & HER fills the gap
- Amsterdam → Lisbon European arc gives She & HER a 2026 European story that Web Summit wants to amplify
Projections
70K+
Total Web Summit audience
Startup
Track + investor access
Europe
She & HER's European tech debut
ActionApply to Web Summit startup track (ALPHA program). Speaker applications open mid-year. Apply as a Google + NVIDIA-backed founder.websummit.com
Podcast strategy — three distinct plays9 podcasts
Podcasts are not events. They have evergreen reach — a guest appearance on How I Built This is still being listened to three years later. Three separate strategies here: (1) Desirée as a guest — founder story, community tech, Black sapphic builder — these build long-term credibility and press; (2) Partnership & co-brand — sapphic and Black queer podcasts She & HER builds alongside; (3) She & HER as advertiser — reaching the community in their headphones before the platform launches.
Pitch now
NPR / Wondery
🎙️
Guest
How I Built This — Guy Raz (NPR / Wondery)
The most prestigious founder story podcast. 5M+ listeners per episode. Guy Raz interviews founders on the origin, obstacles, and breakthroughs behind the world's most iconic companies. Desirée's story — building a safety-first sapphic community platform from Houston with Google and Microsoft on her CV — is exactly the kind of origin story this show is built for.
→ Pitch now▾ Details
5M+
Listeners/ep
The story angle
- Black female founder leaves Google and Microsoft to build a community platform for a community that has never had one
- Bioinformatics background → product leadership → sapphic community tech — the origin story is genuinely surprising
- She & HER launching Q3 2026 — the timing of a pitch is perfect (live product, real founding members, real story to tell)
- Google for Startups + NVIDIA backing = the external validation Guy Raz's producers look for
Why How I Built This wants this story
- HIBT actively seeks underrepresented founders — Black female founder in sapphic tech is genuinely novel in their catalog
- The "built for a community that was ignored" angle is a classic HIBT story arc
- Community platforms are a HIBT staple — Discord, Meetup, Nextdoor have all been featured
- An NPR HIBT episode is a credibility signal that follows She & HER forever — press, investors, partnerships all reference it
Impact
5M+
Listeners per episode
Evergreen
Plays for years post-release
Press
Unlocks other media coverage
A HIBT episode is a credential. It opens doors to investors, press, and partnerships that no other single activation does.
ActionSubmit a guest pitch via npr.org/sections/how-i-built-this. Lead with the founder story angle, not the product. "Black female founder, Google + Microsoft, built a platform for the community no one built for."howibuiltthis.com
Apply now
The Pitch Show
🎙️
Guest + Pitch
The Pitch — Real founders, real VCs, real money on air
30M+ downloads. 74 startups funded. $26.3M raised on air — including $7.3M from listeners. Real VCs make real investment decisions on the podcast. 47% funding rate. She & HER pitching live on The Pitch is a fundraising moment and a content moment at the same time.
→ Apply now▾ Details
$26.3M
Raised on air to date
Why She & HER should apply
- She & HER is at the exact stage The Pitch features — post-launch, Google + NVIDIA backed, seeking next round
- Sapphic community platform with a real launch story is a differentiated pitch in a sea of B2B SaaS
- The Pitch Fund + VC listeners are the precise investor pool She & HER needs to reach
- Even without a funding deal, a Pitch appearance reaches 30M+ downloads and generates press independently
- Desirée's product leadership background (Google, Microsoft/Xbox) is the founder credibility The Pitch requires
Why The Pitch wants She & HER
- Community platforms that serve underrepresented communities are exactly what The Pitch's progressive investor base wants to fund
- A sapphic community tech founder is a story their 30M+ listeners haven't heard on the show
- Google for Startups + NVIDIA Inception = de-risked deal that VCs can move on quickly
Impact
30M+
Downloads
$7.3M
Raised from listeners alone
Funding
Real investment possible on air
ActionApply at thepitch.show. Frame the pitch around community safety, underserved market, and launch momentum. This is a fundraising and press activation simultaneously.thepitch.show/apply
Pitch now
Spotify / Unbothered
🎙️
Guest
Jemele Hill Is Unbothered — The Unbothered Network
Jemele Hill's Spotify-exclusive podcast and network centered on elevating Black women's voices and stories. Guests have included Kamala Harris, Ava DuVernay, Issa Rae, Gabrielle Union. She interviews Black women building things that matter. Desirée building She & HER is that story.
→ Pitch now▾ Details
Spotify
Unbothered Network
The story angle
- "The Black female founder building the sapphic community platform that didn't exist" — that's an Unbothered story
- She & HER is built around sisterhood, belonging, and connection — these are Jemele's core themes
- Desirée's background (Google, Microsoft, Cambridge, prairie view HBCU roots) is the kind of trajectory Jemele celebrates
- The sapphic layer — a Black woman building specifically for queer Black women — is a story Jemele hasn't told on the show yet
Why Jemele wants this story
- The Unbothered Network exists to center Black women's stories — Desirée's is a perfect fit
- Jemele has covered community, sisterhood, and belonging extensively — She & HER is the product version of that conversation
- A sapphic community tech founder is a guest her audience has been waiting to hear from
Impact
Black women
Core Unbothered audience
Spotify
Platform-level amplification
Credibility
Jemele's guest list is elite
ActionPitch to Jemele Hill's booking team via The Unbothered Network on Spotify. Lead with the sisterhood and community building angle — not the tech angle.The Unbothered Network · Spotify
Pitch now
Dr. Joy Bradford
🎙️
Guest
Therapy for Black Girls — Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
108K+ Instagram. One of the most trusted voices in Black women's wellness and mental health. The show covers sisterhood, community, belonging, and healing — all of which are She & HER's core value propositions. Dr. Joy has spoken about how integral community is to Black women's healing.
→ Pitch now▾ Details
108K+
Instagram
The story angle
- Dr. Joy has said community is essential to Black women's healing — She & HER is that community, built intentionally
- The friendship, belonging, and connection pillars of She & HER are directly aligned with Dr. Joy's therapeutic framework
- Desirée as a Black woman founder who built a platform because the community needed it — that's the personal and professional story Dr. Joy features
- She & HER's non-dating positioning (community first) aligns perfectly with Dr. Joy's work on sisterhood vs. romantic relationships
Why Therapy for Black Girls wants this
- She & HER is essentially a product-form of what Dr. Joy advocates for — community, sisterhood, intentional connection
- A Black female founder building for sapphic community is a guest that fills a gap in the show's conversation about queer Black women's wellness
- Dr. Joy's audience are the founding members She & HER wants most — intentional, community-oriented Black women
Impact
108K+
Instagram
Wellness
Black women's community audience
Trust
Dr. Joy's endorsement carries weight
AngleLead with community, belonging, and sisterhood — not tech. "I built the platform Dr. Joy has been describing as essential." therapyforblackgirls.com for booking.therapyforblackgirls.com
Pitch now
WaitWhat / Reid Hoffman
🎙️
Guest
Masters of Scale — Reid Hoffman
Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn co-founder) interviews founders on how companies scale from startup to global. Strong focus on community platforms and network effects. She & HER's community-first model and intentional growth strategy is a Masters of Scale story — how do you scale trust?
→ Pitch now▾ Details
Scale
Community + network effects
The story angle
- "How do you scale a community built on trust and safety?" — that's a Masters of Scale question
- She & HER's application-gated model, intentional growth, and community-first architecture is the opposite of growth-hack scaling — Reid finds that interesting
- Google + Microsoft product leadership background gives Desirée the enterprise credibility Masters of Scale looks for
Why Masters of Scale wants this
- Community platforms with network effects are a Reid Hoffman specialty — LinkedIn, Discord, Nextdoor all in the catalog
- A sapphic community platform built on safety and trust as growth levers is a novel scaling story
- Black female founder, Google pedigree, community-first model — the trifecta Masters of Scale actively seeks
Impact
Millions
Downloads
Investors
VC audience
Credibility
Tech community signal
AngleLead with the scaling question: "How do you grow a community where trust is the product?" That's the Masters of Scale hook.mastersofscale.com
Partnership
Jeffrey Masters
🎙️
Co-brand
LGBTQ&A — Jeffrey Masters (GLAAD Award nominee)
Nominated for Outstanding Podcast at GLAAD Awards. Weekly interviews with LGBTQ+ people. Guests include Laverne Cox, Janelle Monáe, Pete Buttigieg, Brandi Carlile, Angela Davis. One of the most respected LGBTQ+ podcast brands. She & HER as a sponsor + Desirée as a guest is the double play.
→ Pitch now▾ Details
GLAAD
Award nominated
The double play
- Desirée as a guest — Black sapphic founder building community tech is exactly LGBTQ&A's interview subject
- She & HER as a sponsor — advertising She & HER to LGBTQ&A's audience is direct community reach before launch
- GLAAD relationship: LGBTQ&A's GLAAD nomination creates a natural bridge to the GLAAD ecosystem She & HER is trying to enter
Why LGBTQ&A wants us
- A Black sapphic founder building a community platform is a guest their audience has been waiting to hear
- She & HER as a sponsor is community-aligned advertising their audience actually appreciates
- LGBTQ&A's brand associating with She & HER elevates both — the partnership signals mutual legitimacy
Impact
Guest
Desirée interview
Sponsor
Pre-launch community ads
GLAAD
Ecosystem bridge
StrategyPitch guest appearance first — if they say yes, add sponsorship conversation. Guest credibility + sponsor dollars = a full partnership. jeffreymasters.comlgbtqa.com
Partnership
Dr. Mone
🎙️
Co-brand
QueerWOC: The Podcast
Explicitly centered on queer women of color — She & HER's exact community. Built for and by the intersection of queerness and POC identity. A natural co-brand and partnership — She & HER as a platform, QueerWOC as a media voice, built for the same community.
→ Pitch now▾ Details
WOC
Exact community
What the partnership looks like
- QueerWOC is the media voice — She & HER is the platform — they serve the same community and neither competes with the other
- Co-branded episodes, founding member activation via the podcast, and cross-promotion across both audiences
- She & HER founding members who listen to QueerWOC are the most motivated early adopters on the list
Why QueerWOC wants this
- She & HER is the product their audience has been asking for — partnering is a service to their listeners
- A Google + NVIDIA backed platform choosing to partner with them elevates their brand significantly
- She & HER can offer QueerWOC early access, community features, and a platform home for their audience
Impact
WOC
Exact founding member profile
Co-brand
Media + platform partnership
Trust
Community-endorsed entry
StrategyReach out as a partner, not a sponsor. "We built the platform for your listeners. Let's build something together." That framing gets a yes.Research QueerWOC booking contact
Advertise
Multiple shows
🎙️
Sponsor
Pre-launch podcast ad buys — sapphic & Black queer shows
Before She & HER launches, run community-focused ads on sapphic and Black queer podcasts to build the founding member waitlist. Targets include: BFF: Black Fat Femme, Hung Up Podcast, RIANOUTLOUD, Queer & Relevant, and lesbian/sapphic podcasts with Black audiences. She & HER in their headphones, before the app is live.
→ Plan now▾ Details
Pre-launch
Waitlist building
The strategy
- Run 30-60 second host-read ads on 3-5 sapphic and Black queer podcasts in the 8 weeks before She & HER launches
- Ad copy: "She & HER is a community platform for sapphic women — launching this summer. If this is you, we built it for you. Join the founding member list at sheandher.io."
- Host-read ads on community-trusted podcasts convert better than any other format for a product like She & HER — the host is vouching for it
- Target shows: BFF: Black Fat Femme, Hung Up Podcast, QueerWOC, Queer & Relevant, RIANOUTLOUD, and any podcast where TNHS's audience already listens
Why this works for She & HER
- Podcast listeners are the exact founding member profile — intentional, engaged, community-oriented
- Host-read ads on community podcasts feel like a recommendation, not an ad — She & HER's brand tone matches this format perfectly
- Pre-launch ads build the founding member waitlist before the platform opens — the community is ready to go in on day one
- Relatively low cost compared to event activations — and fully measurable via sheandher.io referral tracking
Projections
5–8
Target shows
Host-read
Highest conversion format
Pre-launch
Waitlist before app opens
PlanIdentify 5-8 target shows. Request media kits from each. Budget host-read ad buys for 6-8 weeks pre-launch. Measure via sheandher.io/founding referral tracking.Reach podcast hosts directly for rates
Pitch now
AfroTech
🎙️
Guest
AfroTech Podcast
The media arm of the AfroTech ecosystem. Covers Black founders, Black tech innovation, and Black excellence at the intersection of culture and technology. She & HER is an AfroTech ecosystem company — this is the home podcast before the home conference in November.
→ Pitch now▾ Details
AfroTech
Ecosystem podcast
The story angle
- She & HER is already in the AfroTech ecosystem — an AfroTech podcast episode is a homecoming, not a cold pitch
- "Black founder builds sapphic community platform backed by Google and NVIDIA, launching Q3 2026" — that's the episode headline
- Desirée + Mike together on an AfroTech episode: the founder and the CTO talking about how they built it and why
Why AfroTech podcast wants this
- She & HER is the Black tech success story they exist to amplify
- A launch story from within the ecosystem, told ahead of the November conference, builds AfroTech's own narrative
- Sapphic community tech is a genuinely novel topic in the AfroTech podcast catalog
Impact
Pre-
Conference warm-up
Ecosystem
Black tech community reach
Nov
Sets up AfroTech activation
Publish the AfroTech podcast episode before the November conference. Arrive at AfroTech 2026 as a known name in the ecosystem, not a new face.
TimingPitch now — publish the episode before AfroTech November 2026. Arrive at the conference as a known voice, not a new face in the room.afrotech.com/podcast
Plant seeds — 2027 Pride targets6 events
Begin outreach Q4 2026 after She & HER launches. These relationships take time — the earlier the conversation starts, the better the 2027 placement.
Mar 31–Apr 4
Palm Springs, CA
🇺🇸
Pride
The Dinah 2027 — Full Return (15K+)
The full BellaRose flagship after the 2026 bridge. She & HER should be a founding partner of this return. Lock in the relationship at the 2026 edition.
Lock in 2027▾ Details
15K+
Full return
What She & HER brings
- Full live platform with growing user base — She & HER is active community, not a concept
- TNHS + QA amplifying the full 2027 return to 276K+ sapphic followers nationally
- Year-round community layer that keeps The Dinah attendees connected between events
Why BellaRose wants us
- She & HER is the year-round platform The Dinah has never had
- 15K attendees who She & HER keeps engaged through the year — built-in retention for The Dinah
Projections
1K–5K
Touchpoints
100–500
Highest conv rate on list
Flagship
She & HER sapphic flagship
StrategyLock in 2027 relationship at 2026 bridge edition.thedinah.com
Sep 27
San Francisco
🇺🇸
Pride
Folsom Street Fair
250K+ attendees. New year-round Community Center model. Strong queer women presence. SF tech city — Google/NVIDIA credentials land here.
2027 target▾ Details
250K+
Attendees
What She & HER brings
- Sapphic community activation within the queer women presence at Folsom
- Year-round partnership via new Community Center model
- West Coast founding member expansion
Why Folsom wants us
- New Community Center model needs community partners who stay year-round
- Google/NVIDIA SF tech credentials open doors immediately
Projections
500–2K
Touchpoints
25–100
West Coast founding members
Year-round
Community Center partner
Next stepReach out Q4 2026.folsomstreet.org
Jul 25
Berlin, Germany
🇩🇪
Pride
Berlin CSD — Christopher Street Day
500K–1M attendees. FLINTA* Pride Party within the programme. Same day as Amsterdam 2026 — 2027 is the move.
2027 target▾ Details
1M
Attendees
What She & HER brings
- European second moment after Amsterdam — Berlin 2027 continues the arc
- FLINTA* Pride Party activation for the dedicated women/non-binary space
Why Berlin wants us
- She & HER launched at Amsterdam 2026 — Berlin 2027 is natural follow-through
- FLINTA* programming growing and needs more community platform support
Projections
500–2K
FLINTA* touchpoints
25–100
German founding members
2027
Post-Amsterdam European arc
NoteDate conflict with Amsterdam in 2026. Target 2027.csd-berlin.de
Feb–Mar 2027
Sydney, Australia
🇦🇺
Pride
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
Main Party cancelled 2026 — $2M cost burden, corporate exodus. 2027 rebuild expected. She & HER as part of the comeback story.
2027 target▾ Details
80K+
Fair Day
What She & HER brings
- Community-first platform for the 2027 rebuild after corporate exit
- Australia founding member cohort — new market for She & HER
Why they want us
- 2026 cancellation = 2027 rebuild needs community partners, not corporate sponsors
- She & HER is the story: community stepped up when corporations stepped back
Projections
500–2K
Touchpoints
25–100
Australia founding members
Comeback
Narrative partner
TimingReach out Q3 2026 as 2027 rebuild planning starts.mardigras.org.au
Oct 31
Taipei, Taiwan
🇹🇼
Pride
Taiwan Pride — Taipei
Asia's largest LGBTQ+ gathering. 180K+ attendees. 82% international attendance. Asia's most progressive LGBTQ+ market. She & HER's Asia flag.
2027 target▾ Details
180K+
Attendees
What She & HER brings
- She & HER's Asia launch moment — platform built for global users
- TNHS content bridging US and Asian sapphic audiences
Why they want us
- 82% international audience wants digital community to stay connected
- US tech platform partnership elevates Taiwan Pride's global positioning
Projections
500–2K
Touchpoints
25–100
Asia founding members
Asia
She & HER continent 3
Next stepResearch Taiwan Pride + Formosa Pride organizers.formosapride.com
Plant seeds — 2027+ cultural & community4 events
Jun (TBC)
São Paulo, Brazil
🇧🇷
Cultural
São Paulo Pride + Lesbishow
World's largest Pride by attendance — 3M+. Brazil's Lesbishow is a dedicated lesbian festival. Strong Black queer presence. Portuguese localization needed first.
2027 target▾ Details
3M+
São Paulo Pride
What She & HER brings
- Global sapphic tech platform — Brazil LGBTQ+ community is underserved digitally
- Lesbishow activation — dedicated lesbian festival is the She & HER entry point
Why they want us
- Largest Pride on earth with limited international tech platform partnerships
- US-backed platform entering Brazil = press and community story
Projections
1K–5K
Lesbishow touchpoints
50–200
Brazil founding members
3M+
São Paulo audience
Pre-reqPortuguese localization needed first. Build relationships via Global Black Pride Paris 2026.Research Lesbishow organizers
Nov 2027
Houston, TX
🇺🇸
Tech
AfroTech 2027 — She & HER as a speaker brand
After the 2026 activation, She & HER returns to AfroTech 2027 as a launched, growing platform with a story to tell. Desirée on stage. She & HER as a company with presence.
2027 target▾ Details
Stage
Speaker brand
What She & HER brings
- A launched platform with real users and a real story — "we built it, here's what happened"
- Desirée on stage at AfroTech 2027 as a Black founder who shipped a product
- She & HER community activation at the conference level, not just activation table
Why AfroTech wants us
- She & HER is a Black tech success story they helped create — they want to celebrate it
- Sapphic tech platform that launched and grew = the kind of founder story AfroTech was built to tell
Projections
Stage
Founder story
Press
Tech media coverage
Growth
She & HER user expansion
StrategyActivate 2026 as a brand. Return 2027 as a speaker. AfroTech is a multi-year relationship.afrotech.com
Jul 2027
New Orleans, LA
🇺🇸
Cultural
Essence Festival 2027 — She & HER as a partner brand
After a 2026 activation as a community partner, She & HER returns to Essence 2027 as a launched platform with a dedicated sapphic community brand presence.
2027 target▾ Details
500K+
Attendees
What She & HER brings
- A launched, growing platform — "we built it for you, here it is" moment at Essence
- Branded She & HER activation space within Essence 2027 — not just a table
- TNHS + QA as the media and events arm bringing the activation to life
Why Essence wants us back
- She & HER filled the sapphic gap at 2026 — they'll want that back bigger in 2027
- Launched product with real user stories to tell = premium placement opportunity
Projections
5K–20K
Touchpoints (2027 brand presence)
200–1K
User acquisitions
500K+
Essence audience
StrategyActivate 2026 as community partner. Return 2027 as a She & HER brand with presence.essence.com
2028
Cape Town, S. Africa
🇿🇦
Pride
Cape Town WorldPride 2028 — Africa's First
Africa's first-ever WorldPride. Entry point: Johannesburg Pride October 2026. She & HER needs to be in this room from the beginning.
2028 target▾ Details
WorldPride
2028
What She & HER brings
- Platform built for and by Black women — Cape Town 2028 is She & HER's African homecoming
- By 2028, She & HER has US, European, and Asia presence — Cape Town completes the global story
Why they want us
- Africa's first WorldPride deserves the global sapphic platform that shows up for it
- She & HER's community is disproportionately Black — alignment is complete
Projections
WorldPride
Scale TBD
Africa
She & HER continent 4
2028
Global platform complete
Entry pointStart with Johannesburg Pride October 2026. Build Africa relationships before pitching Cape Town 2028.capetownpride.org
No events match that filter.