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SmallBizDaily.com’s 21 Groundbreaking Women Entrepreneurs to Inspire You

1. Reshma Saujani, Girls Who Code

Reshma Saujani learned early on to fight for what she believed in. She began her career as an attorney and activist, and in 2010 became the first Indian American woman to run for Congress. Visiting local schools while campaigning, she was struck by the small number of girls learning about computers.

In 2011, Saujani founded Girls Who Code (GWC), a nonprofit organization that works to equip and inspire young women with the skills and resources to pursue computer science education and careers. GWC runs after-school programs, immersion programs and mentorship programs for middle school and high school girls. So far, the program has taught more than 185,000 girls to code.