Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: 2024 BOTOX® (onabotulinumtoxinA) Cosmetic Grant Recipients Kick Off Crowdfunding Campaigns

• Help Close the "Confidence Gap" By Backing Your Favorite BOTOX^® Cosmetic Grant Recipients
• With Women-Led Startups Receiving Less Than Three Percent of Venture Capital Funding¹, Your Support Can Help Bridge the Gap and Empower Women Entrepreneurs

IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie company (NYSE: ABBV) is proud to announce the next exciting phase of its 2024 BOTOX^® Cosmetic grant program dedicated to uplifting women entrepreneurs. This chapter kicks off with crowdfunding campaigns for each recipient, offering the community a chance to rally behind 20 inspiring women and support their businesses as they strive to achieve their dreams.

"Women-owned businesses continue to receive on average less than three percent of all venture capital funding¹. With so few resources and funding available, crowdfunding is a key opportunity for these entrepreneurs to grow their businesses," said Carrie Strom, President, Allergan Aesthetics and Senior Vice President, AbbVie. "Many women-owned businesses focus on bettering their communities and have a significant influence on job creation, innovation, and overall economic prosperity². By supporting grant recipients through their crowdfunding campaigns, we can drive impact and empower confidence in these entrepreneurs and beyond." 

In its second year, the BOTOX^® Cosmetic grant program continued its mission and awarded $25,000 grants to women entrepreneurs. Beyond financial support, these women participated in a transformative bootcamp led by BOTOX^® Cosmetic and Deepica Mutyala, founder of Live Tinted. The bootcamp included small group workshops dedicated to honing valuable skills such as brand building, strategic planning, and marketing, as well as one-on-one coaching and mentorship with industry experts. The grant recipients also gained access to coaching through the partnership between BOTOX^® Cosmetic and IFundWomen, further equipping them with the tools needed to navigate the challenges of crowdfunding and grow their businesses.

"Crowdfunding helped me turn my vision for my business into a reality. I am excited to see this year's cohort of entrepreneurs kickstart their campaigns," said Maria Palacio, Founder of Progeny Coffee and 2023 BOTOX^® Cosmetic grant recipient. "Every contribution adds up, and when people believe in your vision enough to donate—even a small amount—it validates and encourages you to continue pursuing your dream. Your support, no matter the size, truly makes a difference."

These crowdfunding campaigns are more than just a way to raise funds; they are a platform to highlight each entrepreneur's stories, passion, and drive. By contributing, individuals can play a crucial role in helping to close the "Confidence Gap" and empower the women leaders of tomorrow.

"The crowdfunding aspect of the BOTOX^® Cosmetic grant program goes beyond just financial support—it's about building a powerful community around our businesses," said Līhau Willing, Founder of Iwi Nails and 2024 BOTOX^® Cosmetic grant recipient. "Being part of this program has been an amazing experience. It's incredibly inspiring to see the community, championed by BOTOX^® Cosmetic, truly believe in our vision and actively join us on our journey to success."

Feedback from last year's grant recipients revealed that the crowdfunding component significantly spurred meaningful business growth, showcasing its potential as a powerful tool for raising capital. However, it also highlighted the complexities and dedication required to run a successful campaign. This year, the program further enhances support by arming entrepreneurs with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate these challenges and steer their businesses confidently toward success.

The 2024 grant recipients have been on a journey of mentorship and community-building, learning from a diverse group of experts, including past recipients, Allergan Aesthetics executives, and trailblazing women founders from the aesthetics industry. They participated in the IFundWomen 10-week online Crowdfunding Accelerator Program, strengthening their business pitches and preparing to launch their campaigns. Each entrepreneur offers unique incentives for different contribution levels, with no minimum donation required. Supporters can choose to contribute publicly or anonymously.

To support the grant recipients' crowdfunding campaigns, visit IFundWomen.com/BOTOXCosmetic. To learn more about this empowering initiative, visit BotoxCosmetic.com/RealImpact. Follow @botoxcosmetic on Instagram and YouTube to discover how you can help close the "Confidence Gap" for women entrepreneurs.

Join us in making a real impact today!

About Allergan Aesthetics
At Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie company, we develop, manufacture, and market a portfolio of leading aesthetics brands and products. Our aesthetics portfolio includes facial injectables, body contouring, plastics, skin care, and more. Our goal is to consistently provide our customers with innovation, education, exceptional service, and a commitment to excellence, all with a personal touch. For more information, visit www.allerganaesthetics.com.

About AbbVie
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas – immunology, oncology, neuroscience, and eye care – and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube.

About IFundWomen
IFundWomen is the go-to funding marketplace for entrepreneurs, with a mission to close the money gap for women-owned businesses through its proprietary mix of capital, coaching, and connections. Since its founding, IFundWomen has empowered its members to raise $278M in early-stage capital and to create 55,000 new jobs, helping fuel the small businesses economy. IFundWomen's marketplace offers its members multiple access points to capital, including crowdfunding, enterprise-brokered grants, collateral-free loans, and the best funding of all – revenue, through its newest product, IFundWomen ServicesX, a marketplace connecting independent business services experts to customers. To learn more about IFundWomen, please visit www.ifundwomen.com. Follow @ifundwomen on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok.

BOTOX^® COSMETIC IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION AND APPROVED USES

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
BOTOX^® Cosmetic may cause serious side effects that can be life threatening. Get medical help right away if you have any of these problems any time (hours to weeks) after injection of BOTOX^® Cosmetic:

• Problems swallowing, speaking, or breathing, due to weakening of associated muscles, can be severe and result in loss of life. You are at the highest risk if these problems are pre-existing before injection. Swallowing problems may last for several months.
• Spread of toxin effects. The effect of botulinum toxin may affect areas away from the injection site and cause serious symptoms including: loss of strength and all-over muscle weakness, double vision, blurred vision and drooping eyelids, hoarseness or change or loss of voice, trouble saying words clearly, loss of bladder control, trouble breathing, and trouble swallowing.

BOTOX^® Cosmetic dosing units are not the same as, or comparable to, any other botulinum toxin product.

There has not been a confirmed serious case of spread of toxin effect when BOTOX^® Cosmetic has been used at the recommended dose to treat frown lines, crow's feet lines, and/or forehead lines.

BOTOX^® Cosmetic may cause loss of strength or general muscle weakness, vision problems, or dizziness within hours to weeks of taking BOTOX^® Cosmetic. If this happens, do not drive a car, operate machinery, or do other dangerous activities.

Serious and/or immediate allergic reactions have been reported. They include: itching, rash, red itchy welts, wheezing, asthma symptoms, or dizziness or feeling faint. Get medical help right away if you are wheezing or have asthma symptoms, or if you become dizzy or faint.

Do not receive BOTOX^® Cosmetic if you: are allergic to any of the ingredients in BOTOX^® Cosmetic (see Medication Guide for ingredients); had an allergic reaction to any other botulinum toxin product such as Myobloc^® (rimabotulinumtoxinB), Dysport^® (abobotulinumtoxinA), or Xeomin^® (incobotulinumtoxinA); have a skin infection at the planned injection site.

Tell your doctor about all your muscle or nerve conditions, such as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, myasthenia gravis, or Lambert-Eaton syndrome, as you may be at increased risk of serious side effects including difficulty swallowing and difficulty breathing from typical doses of BOTOX^® Cosmetic.

Tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, including: plans to have surgery; had surgery on your face; have trouble raising your eyebrows; drooping eyelids; any other abnormal facial change; are pregnant or plan to become pregnant (it is not known if BOTOX^® Cosmetic can harm your unborn baby); are breast-feeding or plan to (it is not known if BOTOX^® Cosmetic passes into breast milk).

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Using BOTOX^® Cosmetic with certain other medicines may cause serious side effects. Do not start any new medicines until you have told your doctor that you have received BOTOX^® Cosmetic in the past.

Tell your doctor if you have received any other botulinum toxin product in the last 4 months; have received injections of botulinum toxin such as Myobloc^®, Dysport^®, or Xeomin^® in the past (tell your doctor exactly which product you received); have recently received an antibiotic by injection; take muscle relaxants; take an allergy or cold medicine; take a sleep medicine; take aspirin-like products or blood thinners.

Other side effects of BOTOX^® Cosmetic include: dry mouth; discomfort or pain at the injection site; tiredness; headache; neck pain; and eye problems: double vision, blurred vision, decreased eyesight, drooping eyelids and eyebrows, swelling of your eyelids and dry eyes.

Approved Uses
BOTOX^® Cosmetic is a prescription medicine that is injected into muscles and used to temporarily improve the look of moderate to severe forehead lines, crow's feet lines, and frown lines between the eyebrows in adults.

For more information refer to the Medication Guide or talk with your doctor.

To report a side effect, please call Allergan at 1-800-678-1605.

Please see BOTOX^® Cosmetic full Product Information including Boxed Warning and Medication Guide.

References:

1. PitchBook. US VC Female Founders Dashboard. 2024 https://pitchbook.com/news/articles/the-vc-female-founders-dashboard 
2. Talisman Wealth Advisors. Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: Unveiling the Advantages of Women-Owned Minority Businesses. 2024 https://www.talismanwealthadvisors.com/empowering-women-entrepreneurs-unveiling-the-advantages-of-women-owned-minority-businesses 

© 2024 AbbVie. All rights reserved. BOTOX Cosmetic and its designs are trademarks of Allergan Holdings France SAS, an AbbVie company, or its affiliates.

SOURCE AbbVie