Women+ Entrepreneur Incubator
Prepare your startup for fundraising by applying for the Women+ Entrepreneur Incubator, focused on helping women & gender-diverse entrepreneurs fundraise and scale with success. You could pitch for a cash investment of up to $100,000 for your business!
PITCH YOUR TECH SOLUTION TO WIN UP TO $100,000 IN CASH INVESTMENT
Are you a woman or gender-diverse entrepreneur in the early stages of building an innovative tech solution that has the potential to scale globally? Elevate your tech startup and prepare for fundraising with the Women+ Entrepreneur Incubator, designed by Elevate, and in partnership with The Firehood, a Canadian organization on a mission to increase the participation, leadership, and prosperity of Canadian women in technology.
The 30 tech startups will be selected to join the Women+ Entrepreneur Incubator, and will get the chance to pitch their ideas to a panel of investor judges at Elevate Festival, taking place at Elevate Festival 2024, Oct 1st-3rd, 2024 in Toronto.
Apply now to the 8-week Virtual Women+ Entrepreneur Incubator to gain valuable investment readiness skills, meet directly with investors, and earn the chance to pitch for up to $100,000 in cash investment prize.
Eligibility Criteria
You’re the ideal fit for the Women+ Entrepreneur Incubator program to scale up your startup and pitch your innovative tech solution if the following applies to you:
- Women-identified or gender-diverse tech startup founder with an innovative solution that has the potential to scale globally
- Actively fundraising or considering fundraising your first external round of capital (ie. angel investment)
- Based in Canada
- Product that is currently being built, ready to be launched, or already launched
Key Dates
04 June 2024
APPLICATIONS OPEN23 July 2024
APPLICATIONS CLOSE20 August 2024
Program Kicks Off03 October 2024
Pitch Competition on Stage(Finals @ Elevate Festival - In person))
Why Apply
A Chance to Pitch on Stage for Cash
Earn the chance to pitch at Elevate Festival 2024 and the opportunity to win up to $100,000 CAD in cash investment prize from participants of Elevate’s Women+ Investor Incubator program.
Mentorship & Advisory
Access to mentors, coaches, and advisors in key areas of fundraising such as refining your pitch deck, building a data room, and crafting your fundraising strategy.
Networking
Connect with other experienced founders for peer-to-peer learning and investors to explore fundraising opportunities.
Community
Join a community of women founders and gender-diverse entrepreneurs from coast to coast.
Brand Awareness
Create brand exposure and generate leads for your business through Elevate’s extensive audience.
Full Access to Elevate Festival
Full Access to Uniting the Prairies: Receive a complimentary Startup Pass to Elevate Festival, taking place in Toronto (October 1-3, 2024).
Dedicated Programming
8 weeks of dedicated programming for startup founders centered on preparing for a round of fundraising. Programming is generally held Tuesdays and Thursdays 12 pm – 2 pm EST over Zoom for the 8 weeksFounders are expected to commit 2-4 hours per week to the program. Key topics include workshops and deep dives led by experienced mentors on:
- Understanding the Startup Landscape
- Sparking Investor Interest
- Preparing for Investment: Evaluation and Due Diligence
- The Power of Storytelling
- Cap Table, Investment Terms and Valuation Considerations
- Pitch Deck
- Advisory Fusion: Igniting Growth / Setting Your Startup Ablaze with Advisory Networks and Board Seats
- Preparing for the Fundraise: Strategies and Execution
- Navigating Negotiations, Follow-Up
- Mastering Financial Aspects: Taxes and Investor Relations
- Evaluation on Fire: Scorching Teams, Sizzling Products, and Market Firestorms
- Exit Flames: Strategies to Torch Your Way Out
ALUMNI SUCCESS STORIES
Announced on stage at Elevate Festival, Medreddie was the recipient of $450,000 in cash investment, alongside NL Patent and Cheekbone Beauty who secured capital.
“I am profoundly grateful to visionary leaders Danielle Graham and Claudette McGowan, Co-Founders of The Firehood, and Lisa Zarzeczny, CEO of Elevate. Their unwavering commitment to championing women in tech serves as an enduring inspiration. We are deeply honoured to receive this substantial investment, acknowledging the pivotal role it plays in advancing our mission.”
