“I had to believe in myself first”: Isabelle on pitching her LaunchX startup ‘Foundity’ at WebSummit Portugal, embracing the unknown, and meeting new people.

Welcome to "Fueling Tomorrow’s Entrepreneurs: A LaunchX Podcast" where we explore what it means to balance ambition with purpose – because true success isn’t just about the money or the views—it’s about the impact we make and the lives we touch along the way. 

I’m your host Rachel, a fellow gen-z serial entrepreneur and today I am chatting with Isabelle Dijkhorst, the 17-year-old founder of Foundity, a digital platform that connects and empowers entrepreneurs. She thought she’d be an artist but quickly found a love for business and attended the LaunchX Berkeley program, where she met founders her own age and launched Foundity. 

Now, she has more pressure than ever in her final year of high school, applying for universities, and running a startup full time. At the same time, she’s never been happier. We chat about the unpredictability of entrepreneurship, meeting new people, and pitching her startup at WebSummit Portugal 2024.

Connect with Isabelle:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelle-dijkhorst/

www.foundity.com

Find me! (Rachel):

www.linkedin.com/in/rachelkzhang/

www.instagram.com/rachelkzhang