Inc.’s annual Female Founders list celebrates the nation’s most innovative women entrepreneurs, who collectively generated approximately $12.3 billion in 2025
New York, NY March 10, 2026 – Canary is proud to announce that Rachel Schneider has been named to Inc.’s 2026 Female Founders 500, an annual list honoring the most dynamic women business leaders in the United States. The honor recognizes founders whose bold ideas, resilience, and execution are shaping the future of their industries.
The 2026 Female Founders honorees collectively generated approximately $12.3 billion in 2025 revenue and $12.2 billion in funding to date, underscoring the economic impact of women-led businesses across sectors.
Each year, Inc. editors evaluate applications through a rigorous, multi-round selection process. Founders are assessed on both quantitative performance metrics, including revenue growth, funding, sales, and audience size, as well as qualitative factors such as innovation, social impact, and brand momentum. The final list represents entrepreneurs who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and measurable progress over the past year. Previous honorees have included such game-changing leaders as Billie Jean King, Sallie Krawcheck, Serena Williams, and Emma Grede — all of whom have transformed their industries and broken barriers along the way.
“We are so thankful to be recognized alongside all these other impressive women. We’ve always believed that financial stability is one of the most critical components of a healthy workforce. This recognition is a signal that the rest of the business world is catching up, and we couldn’t be more energized by it” says Schneider.
Honoree selection is also honed through the evaluation of the program’s advisory board, which includes Patty Arvielo, co-founder and CEO of New American Funding; Tiffany Dufu, president of the Tory Burch Foundation; Joy Mangano, co-founder and CEO of CleanBoss; Michelle Cordeiro Grant, founder and CEO of GORGIE; Sheila Lirio Marcelo, co-founder and CEO of Ohai.ai and founder of Care.com; and Melissa Mash, co-founder and CEO of Dagne Dover.
Canary partners with employers, community foundations, and nonprofits to deliver emergency financial relief through its platform, Grant Circle. When employees face an unexpected crisis — a medical bill, a utility shutoff, a car repair — Canary enables organizations to deliver tax-free grants directly to recipients, often within 24 hours, without requiring individuals to disclose personal struggles to their HR team.
Over the past year, grant distribution nearly doubled year over year as more organizations recognized emergency relief as a core workforce need rather than a wellness perk. 92% of recipients reported feeling more positive about their employer after receiving support. This underscores what Canary has long believed: that the right money at the right time matters. And it doesn’t just solve an immediate crisis. It strengthens the relationship between employer and employee.
Canary also expanded its platform to respond to emerging crises in real time, including the launch of SNAP benefit disruption relief, a new category that enabled employers to deliver verified support to employees within hours during moments of widespread economic stress. As inflation, benefit disruptions, and natural disasters continue to intensify financial pressure on working families, Canary is building the infrastructure organizations need to respond with speed and dignity.
“Each year, we are increasingly amazed by the extraordinary leaders on our Inc. Female Founders 500 list,” says Bonny Ghosh, editorial director at Inc. “The honorees on this year’s list include innovators in AI, beauty and wellness trendsetters winning devoted fans, and nonprofit leaders making a real impact in their communities. Together, they’re showing all of us what trailblazing female leadership looks like.”
Several honorees will be featured inInc. magazine’s Spring print issue, on newsstands March 17, 2026. To see the complete list of honorees, please visit: https://www.inc.com/female-founders/2026.
About Inc.
Inc. is the leading media brand and playbook for the entrepreneurs and business leaders shaping our future. Through its journalism, Inc. aims to inform, educate, and elevate the profile of its community: the risk-takers, the innovators, and the ultra-driven go-getters who are creating the future of business. Inc. is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with fellow leading business publication Fast Company. For more information, visit www.inc.com.
About Canary
Canary’s technology and services enable our clients (including employers, nonprofits, and others) to give individuals money at pivotal moments in their lives, with dignity and efficiency. We connect the latest technology and payments innovations to the innate and enduring human desire to help each other. We believe that the right money at the right time matters: it gives people the peace of mind and confidence to recover from emergencies and to invest in their futures. You can learn more at www.workwithcanary.com or follow Canary on LinkedIn.
Media Contact:
Kathy Osborne
Canary provides an emergency employee relief fund solution, Grant Circle, that helps organizations of any size deliver charitable grants to individuals facing financial hardship. This can be in the event of a natural disaster, death in the family, catastrophic car issues, and more. If your workplace could benefit from a grant program as part of your overall employee financial well-being strategy, please visit www.workwithcanary.com and reach out to our team to learn more.
