Shoba Gayathri Nahappan’s (MA ’06) Company Named Finalist in UK StartUp Awards

SW London Women hosts engaging, women-led events that are designed to empower women from all backgrounds through insightful discussions, inspiring storytelling, and valuable networking opportunities. Events often feature guest speakers on topics including entrepreneurship, mental health, sustainability, positive intelligence, and more; they also do advocacy work, raising money for charities and causes that benefit the community at large, such as youth mental health.

“What started off as community-building in my own backyard has become a movement all across London and beyond,” says Nahappan. “Through this platform, we have given women opportunities to get back to work, allowed for connections between professionals and younger women that result in internships, and created a safe space where women can be open and vulnerable and inspire each other.”

In January, SW London Women also supported and organized “Can Art Save Lives?” at NYU London, an inspiring event that celebrated the profound connection between creativity and well-being. Both Steinhardt and the Jameel Arts & Health Lab also supported the event.

“It’s been especially gratifying to combine my work with SW London Women and NYU Steinhardt to create real impact across sectors,” says Nahappan, who attended the UK StartUp Awards regional finals event in London in June with co-founder Francesca Odedra. “It’s rewarding to see that we’re doing something meaningful.”