My HRF grant proposal for BitcoinHer got rejected. Building BitcoinHer from scratch has been one of the most thrilling things I’ve chosen to do with my career. Last night, though, it felt like I’d hit a wall. When I first shared the idea with my peers, several suggested applying to HRF. That grant became a cushion I quietly looked forward to. I held off on expanding the team, hoping I’d soon have the resources to bring more women into this work. The goal has always been simple: help women, starting in India, understand how money works. Bitcoin changed how I saw the system. I wanted to share that lens with anyone willing to listen. Since then, we’ve done: • 8 luncheons and events across 6 cities • 2 reading clubs, each running for 4 months • More than 20 online workshops • 10 college talks on freedom tech • A 2-day Trezor Academy workshop By my rough estimate, these efforts have reached over 1,000 people, with women at the heart of it all. I’m sharing this because, in a moment when I’m questioning myself, I need to remember what we’ve built. I’ve watched people go from “Bitcoin isn’t for me” to asking questions, receiving their first sats and wanting to learn more. Those moments give me confidence in this work. During my journalism internships, I often felt like I was selling a little piece of my soul. Around that time, I found Bitcoin. I spent the next four years working with Bitcoin and other fintech companies, learning about money while repeatedly noticing how little space women had in conversations and decisions around it. I wanted to help change that. In January 2026, I quit my job to work on BitcoinHer full-time. The idea has kept evolving through the women I meet. Our next phase focuses on women entrepreneurs: helping them understand Bitcoin, save in it, explore payments and connect their businesses with a global community. I want to see women producing real goods and services, earning in Bitcoin and participating in an economy they help build. Just last week, during my Bombay tour, I met a food vendor accepting payments in sats. Seeing someone use Bitcoin in their everyday business made that vision feel closer. Then the rejection arrived. I’ve probably read that email a hundred times, wondering whether I missed something, whether I should have explained the work differently, whether I’m doing enough. We’ve kept going without a grant so far, touch wood, with the help of our community support, corporate sponsors and ofc @bitshala. But I had hoped for some breathing room and the ability to build a larger team. Losing that possibility hurts. BitcoinHer still has work to do. Next month, we’re co-hosting our first international event in Amsterdam. There are women to meet, lessons to share and ideas to put into practice. I’m disappointed, and I’m still showing up. If you’ve attended a session, learned something through BitcoinHer or simply believe in what we’re trying to build, I’d love to hear from you. A little encouragement would mean a lot to me and the team right now.