AQi is a Regulation Crowdfunding platform focused on expanding access to capital for women-led businesses while opening private-company investment opportunities to a broader group of investors. The company combines capital raising with hands-on campaign support and an affiliate network spanning areas such as marketing, accounting, legal services, business development, and strategy. AQi is registered with the SEC and is a FINRA member. Pulse 2.0 interviewed AQi Founder and CEO Molly Huyck and COO/CCO Amie Konwinski to learn more about the platform, crowdfunding, and improving capital access for women entrepreneurs.
Molly Huyck And Amie Konwinski’s Backgrounds
Pulse 2.0 (Amit): Could you tell me more about your background?
AQi (Amie Konwinski): I took an unconventional path into technology and leadership. After learning to code on an Atari 8-bit computer at age 12, I graduated early from high school and joined the U.S. Navy at 17, where I worked within the Worldwide Military Command and Control System (WWMCCS), a Honeywell 6000-based mainframe environment.
There, I maintained a TS/SCI clearance and supported both hardware and software installations across early military networked systems, working with technologies including DEC/UNIX, Novell, JOPES, and eventually the Global Command and Control System (GCCS).
After five years of active duty, I transferred to the Navy Reserve while earning my Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Nebraska Omaha.
I served a total of 14 years before being honorably discharged as an Information Systems Technician Chief Petty Officer (ITC).
Over the next 20 years, I built a career spanning computer engineering management as a government contractor, marketing and sales leadership for technology companies, and nonprofit leadership as the founder and CEO of a national organization focused on social media safety and digital wellness.
AQi (Molly Huyck): I graduated from Creighton University with a BSBA and a master’s degree in Computer Systems Management.
My first job after college was at Union Pacific Railroad, where I was the only female systems engineer.
In that role, I saw countless opportunities to innovate and improve the way things were done, but change moved slowly at a 150-year-old company.
That experience inspired me to start my own technology company, where I helped businesses build their first online presence, showcase inventory, and strengthen their technology infrastructure.
I also developed marketing platforms for golf courses that allowed both public and private guests to book tee times online.
Later, I created a strategic consulting plan for PayPal, which led to a 21-year career with the company.
During that time, I helped open operations centers around the world and ultimately led Operations Strategy, defining how we served 400 million customers in 20 languages while maintaining world-class customer service metrics.
How AQi Started
Pulse 2.0 (Amit): How did the idea for the company come together?
AQi (Molly Huyck): During my time at PayPal, I mentored entrepreneurs globally through a partnership with the Cherie Blair Foundation.
That experience exposed me to the $5 trillion global GDP gap caused by barriers facing women entrepreneurs.
Seeing that firsthand made it clear to me that this isn’t just a fairness issue, it’s one of the largest untapped economic opportunities in the world.
At first, I considered starting a fund. But there are already funds focused on women founders.
I realized the problem was bigger than capital allocation at the top, it was about access, infrastructure, and participation across the entire system.
What’s missing is a way for more people, not just institutions, to invest in high potential companies, especially those led by women.
That’s why I built AQi.
AQi is about democratizing the ability to invest and aligning capital with values.
When people can invest in businesses they believe in, something powerful happens: they don’t just become investors, they become advocates, customers, and community builders.
Favorite Memories
Pulse 2.0 (Amit): What has been your favorite memory working for the company so far?
AQi (Amie Konwinski): I thrive on rolling up my sleeves and solving complex problems.
What many people tend to dread is where I do my best work, digging into challenges, researching solutions, building strategy, and putting systems and processes in place that help organizations grow and operate more effectively.
The day we had our FINRA Panel review was a great day. We were told it would be at least 1 ½ hours and could go to 4 hours long.
We were finished in one hour and 15 minutes. I knew it was going well when the panel started talking about what’s next and using phrases like, “When you receive your approval.”
AQi (Molly Huyck): Hiring the amazing AQi team, Amie & Janessa, and receiving our FINRA membership.
Core Products And Features
Pulse 2.0 (Amit): What are the company’s core products and features?
AQi (Molly Huyck): AQi enables founders to raise capital while retaining control through its platform, capital raise fees, supports successful fundraising with hands-on campaign management, and expands growth through expert affiliate coaching, aligning capital, guidance, and community to fund overlooked founders and open investing access.
AQi (Amie Konwinski): One of our most important differentiators is our commitment to supporting founders at every stage of their journey.
We provide practical, actionable feedback and serve as a strategic quarterback, helping entrepreneurs build stronger businesses and navigate the fundraising process more effectively.
Through our Affiliated Partner Program, we’re also building a trusted community of support, connecting founders with resources in accounting, marketing, business development, strategy, and more.
Navigating The FINRA Process
Pulse 2.0 (Amit): Have you faced any challenges in your sector of work recently, and how did you overcome those challenges?
AQi (Amie Konwinski): The FINRA process is no joke.
Building a regulated financial platform meant balancing one of the most detailed compliance and regulatory review processes I’ve ever experienced, and that’s coming from someone with more than 14 years of military experience working within government regulations, SOPs, and WSPs.
At the same time, we were bringing together the right strategic partners while managing a complex technology buildout involving native code, APIs, integrations, and security requirements.
Every major milestone came with challenges, from compliance documentation and operational procedures to platform development and infrastructure.
What helped us move forward was staying persistent, adaptable, and solutions-focused.
We approached every obstacle as part of building a stronger long-term foundation for the company.
How The Technology Has Evolved
Pulse 2.0 (Amit): How has the company’s technology evolved since launching?
AQi (Amie Konwinski): We began the native code buildout in February 2025 and launched our MVP in a sandbox environment in August 2025, nearly six months before receiving approval to go live.
Following licensing, we focused heavily on refining and validating the end-to-end experience for both investors and issuers, including the transition from sandbox to full production.
At this level of technology and compliance, there are always unexpected challenges.
Success requires tenacity, adaptability, and the attention to detail needed to anticipate potential snags before they become larger issues.
Today, we are in a strong position, ready to support issuers and scale for thousands of monthly investors.
As we continue to grow, we remain focused on continually improving the customer experience and implementing solutions that make onboarding and participation as seamless as possible.
Key Company Milestones
Pulse 2.0 (Amit): What have been some of the company’s most significant milestones?
AQi (Amie Konwinski): Are you getting tired of hearing me say FINRA approval yet? But truly, becoming an approved funding portal was one of our most significant milestones.
The process is incredibly rigorous, and the day we received our approval was a huge moment for our team after months of compliance work, technology development, and operational preparation.
Another key milestone is reaching five live offerings on the platform.
We currently have more than 20 potential issuers at various stages of the pipeline and are getting close to that self-defined “magic five” goal.
For us, it reflects more than growth, it shows that the ecosystem we’re building for founders and investors is gaining real traction.
AQi (Molly Huyck): Raising pre-seed money from angel investors, building the technology platform, AQi received a prototype grant from the State of Nebraska’s Department of Economic Development twice, becoming registered with the SEC and a member of FINRA, and moving into revenue phase by launching our first campaign.
Founder And Issuer Success
Pulse 2.0 (Amit): Can you share any specific customer success stories?
AQi (Amie Konwinski): The ingenuity of women entrepreneurs never ceases to astound me.
One of the most exciting parts of building this platform is seeing the diversity, innovation, and purpose behind the companies entering our pipeline.
We’re working with founders across a wide range of industries and stages, from a med-tech device already being tested by NATO forces, to a sunscreen brand designed specifically for young men, specialized herbal tea blends, and a growing number of AI-enabled applications tackling challenges related to grief support, ADHD, personal finance, alternative medicine certifications, and adventure travel.
What makes this a success story for us is not just the companies themselves, but the fact that AQi has become a touchpoint for these ideas, founders, and conversations.
We’re building trust, community, and a place where entrepreneurs feel supported while navigating one of the hardest parts of building a company, access to capital.
We now have our first live offering, and we’re actively building what is essentially a two-sided marketplace: attracting investors while simultaneously supporting early-stage issuers as they grow alongside us.
Many of these founders are not only raising capital through the platform but also helping us build the flywheel, creating momentum, feedback, visibility, and community that strengthens the ecosystem for the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Funding
Pulse 2.0 (Amit): Are you able to discuss funding and/or revenue metrics?
AQi: AQi has raised over $500k from angel investors. AQi will do a second raise on Wefunder.
Total Addressable Market
Pulse 2.0 (Amit): What total addressable market size is the company pursuing?
AQi (Molly Huyck): AQi is pursuing the U.S. Regulation Crowdfunding market, with a particular focus on women-led issuers.
In 2024, the overall Reg CF market was approximately $345 million, and women-led issuers represented an estimated $85 million of that total.
Within that segment, AQi’s current obtainable market is about $5 million annually, with the potential to scale to roughly $170 million by 2030 as the market continues to expand.
The broader Reg CF market is growing at an estimated 16% CAGR, which we believe creates a strong long-term opportunity for AQi.
Competitive Differentiation
Pulse 2.0 (Amit): What differentiates the company from its competition?
AQi (Molly Huyck): The differentiator for AQi is the community our founders become a part of.
We’ve created a network of affiliates and partners across marketing, PR, accounting, legal, and more, so founders aren’t left to figure everything out on their own.
They get access to the right expertise at the right time, which is critical for scaling successfully.
This is especially important for women founders who have historically had less access to these kinds of networks.
When a founder raises on AQi, she’s not just gaining capital, she’s stepping into an ecosystem designed to help her business grow.
That changes what’s possible.
When women founders raise from their communities, they’re also building networks of advocates. Their investors become:
- Customers
- Promoters
- Brand ambassadors
- Long-term supporters
That creates a powerful flywheel. The company grows with a built-in base of people who are both financially and emotionally invested in its success.
Future Goals
Pulse 2.0 (Amit): What are some of the company’s future goals?
AQi (Amie Konwinski): Our long-term goal is to make a meaningful impact for women entrepreneurs by helping create greater parity in access to capital.
Too many talented founders still face barriers when it comes to funding, visibility, and networks of support.
We want AQi to become more than just a funding platform, we want it to be part of a larger ecosystem that helps women entrepreneurs gain access to the resources, education, community, and investor relationships needed to build sustainable businesses.
As we grow, our focus remains on expanding opportunities, increasing participation, and helping more founders turn strong ideas into scalable companies.
I look forward to the day when one of my five daughters launches her own company and doesn’t encounter the same double standards women still face when seeking an SBA loan, securing a line of credit, or raising capital through traditional channels.
My hope is that by then, access to capital will be driven more by the strength of the idea and the determination of the founder than by bias or outdated barriers.
AQi (Molly Huyck): Expand the community of founders and affiliates to support the growing needs founders face. Potentially expand to another country or two.
Women Investing In Women-Owned Businesses
Pulse 2.0 (Amit): Are there any other topics you would like to discuss?
AQi (Amie Konwinski): One topic I find especially interesting is the correlation between women supporting causes through crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe and the growing interest in women investing in women-owned businesses.
Women have consistently shown a willingness to financially support people, ideas, and missions they believe in, whether through community fundraising, nonprofit giving, or small business support.
I believe we are seeing the early evolution of that same behavior extending into investment participation.
More women are becoming interested in understanding how to invest, where their money goes, and how they can support businesses that align with their values and experiences.
