012: The Step-By-Step System Helping Women Build Fundable Tech Startups with Nomiki Petrolla from Theanna

Join the waitlist for Women Build Cool Shit — Theanna’s 12-week January cohort ⁠here⁠!What if turning your startup idea into a real tech product felt clear, structured, and actually achievable — even if you’re a non-technical female founder?That’s the mission behind Nomiki Petrolla’s platform, Theanna — an AI-powered startup builder helping women go from idea to MVP to paying customers without needing a technical co-founder, a full engineering team, or early investment.After 13+ years leading product at high-growth tech companies — often taking male founders’ ideas from zero to one — Nomiki saw a systemic pattern:Women had fewer networks, fewer resources, and far less access to capital, yet they were coming up with equally (and often more) viable business ideas.Worse, most startup education and accelerators weren’t built for how women learn, decide, or build.So she created Theanna: a tool that blends AI, product strategy, community, and traction analytics into one platform — giving women a step-by-step roadmap to validate, build, launch, and grow a revenue-generating tech business without giving up control.This episode is a deep dive into the bias, the opportunity, and the movement emerging around women building scalable tech on their own terms.Whether you’re a first-time female founder, a solo builder, or someone dreaming up a tech idea but unsure where to start — this episode is packed with game-changing insight.In this episode, Georgie Brown and Nomiki explore:- Why women receive just 1.2% of VC funding — and why the number is getting worse- The hidden difference between a lifestyle business and a venture-backable startup- Why many women outperform male founders when they are backed (data included)- The gaps in traditional accelerators — and why they fail early-stage women- How Theanna’s AI “Build Mode” works and why founders are obsessedKey Takeaways:Women can build tech without a technical co-founder.Modern AI tools + structured product guidance = actual shipping, not spinning.Most businesses shouldn’t chase venture capital.99.5% of startups are lifestyle or revenue-first. That doesn’t make them “small”; it makes them sustainable.Female founders make better long-term operators.Studies show women-run companies outperform male-led ones by 63% in value creation.Community is a growth multiplier.Women take more risks and push further when surrounded by people who build the same way they think.Democratising startup education will unlock the next wave of women in tech.Theanna makes startup building accessible for professionals outside traditional tech pathways.Chapters / Timestamps:00:00 — Introducing Nomiki & Theanna05:15 — What product management teaches you about building startups08:20 — Why women still receive just 1.2% of funding11:10 — Lifestyle business vs venture-scale: the real definitions13:30 — What’s broken about startup accelerators for women17:30 — How Theanna works (Build / Connect / Analyse)20:50 — The AI startup builder changing how women launch tech23:40 — Why Theanna is women-only (and why it matters)26:30 — Decision-making differences between male & female founders32:10 — Gamification, motivation & the psychology of solo founders34:10 — Inside Women Build Cool Shit (12-week program)37:40 — Nomiki’s advice for new founders scared to start40:20 — Startup shoutouts: Home Shark & GoSadiLinks & Resources:TheannaWebsite https://theanna.io/Apply to Women Build Cool Shit (January cohort) https://theanna.io/women-build-cool-shit#apply-nowConnect with Nomiki PetrollaLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/nomikipetrolla/TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@nomikipetrolla?lang=en-GBInstagram https://www.instagram.com/nomikipetrolla/Discover StartupsTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@discoverstartups?lang=en-GBYouTube https://www.youtube.com/@DiscoverStartupsInstagram https://www.instagram.com/discoverstartups/Newsletter https://www.discoverstartups.org/

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