The flashy e-commerce company gave many employees their first taste of startup culture—and the experience they needed to start their own companies. Gilt Groupe, founded in 2007, became a training ground for female entrepreneurs in New York.

Many former employees went on to launch their own ventures, crediting Gilt for hands-on experience in scaling, operations, and fundraising. The company's influence helped create a network of female founders in the city.

Though Gilt was acquired by Hudson's Bay Company in 2016, its legacy endures through the startups it inspired. Today, those alumnae are shaping New York's tech scene.