This program was made possible thanks to the generous contributions and support of BDC Thrive Lab and Fasken.
Bridging the Gap
Currently, only 14% of Canadian technology companies have a woman-identifying founder, and only 2.4% of venture capital funding is allocated to women-led startups. Due to this gap, Front Row Ventures founded the Women Founders Project six years ago to do our part in reducing this gap in the ecosystem. At FRV, we believe in the importance of connecting students to the Canadian startup ecosystem, providing them with the resources they need to achieve the most ambitious goals, and helping them build long-lasting networks.
What is The Women Founders Project?
The Women Founders Project is a 9-week accelerator and founder development program aimed at supporting woman-identifying student founders with validating, building and refining their ventures. This program will take place during the course of the summer throughout June, July, and August. During the program, founders will have access to workshops, fireside chats with investors, interactive sessions with founders, mentorship and networking opportunities with investors at some of the most prominent venture capital firms across Canada.
WFP Goals:
- Equip women-identifying founders with the resources they need to 1) understand how to build their business strategy from the ground up, 2) see how venture capital investors assess businesses, and 3) hear from startup founders who have embarked on the fundraising journey
- Give founders the opportunity to develop and refine their pitches over the summer with multiple pitch and mentorship opportunities
- Better prepare women founders to access capital
Program Overview
Weekly Zoom Sessions on Tuesdays 4 pm - 6 pm EDT, from June 11th - August 8th
This program will give you access to:
- Workshops and founder case studies: learn the fundamentals of building your business from the ground up, and hear from founders who have gone through the process themselves
- Fireside chats and product demos: attend panels with world-class investors to hear their insights on how to stand out
- Pitch opportunities: throughout the course of the program, you’ll have the chance to refine and practice your pitch to get investor-ready
- Resources: receive access to FRV’s Fundraising Blueprint course, alongside access to special startup / ecosystem events
- Community: have the opportunity to bond with like-minded women founders at socials, co-working sessions and more
- Leadership Bootcamp: a dynamic one-day intensive bootcamp tailored for founders, featuring a series of immersive workshops. Dive deep into conscious leadership practices, master the founder mindset, conquer imposter syndrome, and hone the art of building strong relationships and nurturing meaningful connections. This bootcamp is designed to equip you with the mindset and skills essential for navigating the entrepreneurial journey with confidence and purpose
Eligibility