Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Women Entrepreneurs Boston today are launching iFundWomen Boston, a local initiative of iFundWomen, a crowdfunding platform for female-led businesses, with a pitch competition to kick off the program.

Women Entrepreneurs Boston will work with iFundWomen to help funnel investment dollars to female entrepreneurs.

“Boston is home to a vast network of entrepreneurs, startups and thriving business,” Walsh said in a statement, “and the City is committed to ensuring women play a major role in our business success. One of the biggest barriers is the lack of investment funds going to women-owned businesses, so we’re thrilled to welcome iFundWomen to Boston to help us move toward closing that gap. This partnership is a big step forward in building upon the success of WE BOS and we’re proud to offer this resource to help Boston’s women entrepreneurs take their businesses to the next level.”

Selected applicants will get one-on-one coaching in business and crowdfunding, with video production services to help them pitch their concepts.

“Campaigns that are fully funded by January 30, 2018 will be eligible to participate in the first-ever iFundWomen Pitch Competition in March, showcasing the top companies in the cohort and giving them the opportunity to raise even more startup capital,” the program’s announcement stated.

iFundWomen CEO Karen Cahn said, “We’re thrilled to partner with Mayor Walsh and WE BOS on iFundWomen Boston to raise money for local startups and to launch our first-ever pitch competition. iFundWomen is committed to supporting female entrepreneurs with the crowdfunding, coaching, and connections they need to help raise cash for their businesses and to help them move to the next level. We’re taking our programming one step further with the introduction of this regional pitch competition, encouraging the entrepreneurs who have successfully crowdfunded with us to then have the opportunity to pitch their businesses for a sizable cash prize.”