Women Founders Investment Preparedness Program

Women Founders is a program that focuses on supporting women and gender-diverse individuals with entrepreneurial and business skills to start and grow a successful venture.

The Women Founders program will support entrepreneurs with essential business skills and knowledge, focusing on leadership, entrepreneurship, and practical business management.

Canada Innovates and the Canadian Women’s Foundation will provide access to mentorship, expertise on investment preparedness, and an investor partner network to support the entrepreneurs’ business growth and fundraising goals.

Read the press release 

Program Duration:

  • December – Application intake open
  • Thru January 7, 2025– Applicants selected
  • January 14, 2025– Program starts

Eligibility:

  • You are an entrepreneur who self identifies as a woman and/or gender diverse and have and/or are looking to incorporate a new business in Canada.
  • You are an organization (business/not for profit/social enterprise) that is led by a woman and/or gender diverse individuals looking to become investment ready.
  • You can commit to setting up a Roadmap with traction and revenue goals for your business between September and December.
  • You are looking to work on and/or have a sustainable business model with potential for market growth.
  • You are looking to strengthen your self-advocacy, partnership, and investment preparedness strategies to sustain your business goals.

FAQ:

There will be scheduled sessions monthly to meet with experts from the Foundation, Canada Innovates and partners. Our thesis’ focus on data driven, socially aware, scalable business models. We support all founders with space and time to start, grow, and scale solid businesses via programs, frameworks, and ecosystem support.

We look for self-driven, resourceful founders with a high energy drive, focused on solving problems using data and direct to business or consumer approaches. We look for projects bringing value to the people and communities your services and products support. If you are looking to grow your business, have a goal to prepare it for an investment, are self-motivated, and want proactive support to shape your startup, then this program is right for you.

While webinars are open for participation, the amount of support you receive will co-relate to your Roadmap engagement.

You will be contacted to revise your application or with an invitation to continue completing a Roadmap to participate in the program, with further instructions.

You will take time to create and revise a Roadmap, Multi-Year Budget, Revenue Model with self-determined metrics to participate in programs.

For questions or more information, please contact:
intake@canadainnovates.org