Fifty percent of venture firms surveyed by BDC Capital have no women senior investors.
The compensation picture for women in VC may be reaching a tipping point in Canada—at least at the highest levels.
For the first time, women’s average salary in senior investment roles was higher than that of men, according to the 2024 Canadian Venture Compensation Report. Continue reading “Women VCs are now earning more at the highest levels (if they can reach them)”
Key leadership hire for WEL to advance equal representation and influence of women in private capital markets
November 2024 — The Womenʼs Equity Lab (WEL) is thrilled to announce Ariel Siller as its new Managing Director. Ariel brings a wealth of experience from her role as CEO of the Canadian Childrenʼs Literacy Foundation (CCLF), where she successfully transformed the organization from a start-up to a national leader in childrenʼs literacy. Ariel is deeply respected for her achievements in scaling CCLF and leading impactful, transformative change. As a Stanford-educated corporate lawyer, Ariel has an extensive background in the start-up ecosystem across Canada and the United States. Continue reading “The Women’s Equity Lab Appoints Ariel Siller as Managing Director”
July 2024 — The Women’s Equity Lab Atlantic Investment Group (WEL Atlantic) is proud to announce the launch of its 2nd fund to continue its mission to support women-led businesses and build the community of female investors. With an impressive growth in Limited Partners (LPs) WEL Atlantic’s 2nd fund has 50 women investors.
WEL Atlantic has successfully raised $250,000 to invest in women-led businesses across the Atlantic provinces. This initiative underscores WEL’s commitment to creating opportunities for local companies while also cultivating a new generation of women investors. Continue reading “Women’s Equity Lab Atlantic Investment group launches 2nd fund to boost investment in Women-Led Businesses”
June 13, 2024 – In a groundbreaking move to foster diversity and empower women in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), Island Women in Science and Technology (iWIST) is proud to announce the launch of its inaugural scholarship program. This initiative, launched this month, is made possible through the generous support of the Women’s Equity Lab, an organization committed to advancing women’s equity through women-directed early-stage investing. Continue reading “Island Women in Science and Technology Launches Inaugural Scholarship Program with Support from Women’s Equity Lab”
Women’s Equity Lab Toronto has closed an initial round of fundraising for Fund III.
Launched in 2017 as a non-profit organization, Victoria, BC-based Women’s Equity Lab has spun off 16 funds, including 9 in BC (Victoria & Vancouver), 3 in Ontario (Toronto) and 1 each in Manitoba and Atlantic region, and 2 Venture Capital Corporations (VCCs). Continue reading “Women’s Equity Lab Toronto Fund 3 Closes Initial Round of Fundraising”
Empowering Women-Led Social Impact Businesses: Women’s Equity Lab (WEL) Partners with BDC’s $100M Thrive Lab to Co-Invest Alongside 25 Canadian Partners.
Women’s Equity Lab (WEL) is excited to be one of the 25 partners collaborating with BDC’s $100M Thrive Lab to support women-led social impact businesses. This initiative’s first phase will co-invest, alongside partners from across Canada, up to $35M in businesses at the earliest stages of development, where they face the most challenges in fundraising. Continue reading “Empowering Women-Led Social Impact Businesses: Women’s Equity Lab (WEL) Partners with BDC’s $100M Thrive Lab to Co-Invest Alongside 25 Canadian Partners.”
St. John’s, September 14th, 2023 – In just six short months since its inception, the WEL Atlantic angel fund has already made investments in three promising women-led businesses within the Atlantic provinces.
Founded with a mission to address the chronic and systemic underrepresentation of women in early stage investing, WEL has created opportunities for both new and experienced women investors. The WEL Atlantic Canadian Investment Group, which serves as a beacon of progress in this region, aligns with this vision and expects that a more diverse group of investors will lead to more diverse investment decisions. Additionally, by investing in women-led companies in the Atlantic provinces, the fund seeks to stimulate economic growth, promote gender diversity in leadership positions, and bridge the funding gap that has long hindered women in business. Continue reading “Women’s Equity Lab (WEL) Atlantic fuels innovation with investments in three women-led businesses in just six months and more to come.”
June 23, 2023 – An innovative concept has resulted in the province’s first hybrid early-stage all-female investment fund, allowing non-accredited investors to join the angel investment ecosystem and participate and learn alongside accredited investors.
“We commend The Manitoba Securities Commission (MSC) for their leadership in working with WEL MB to provide the opportunity for more capital to be raised for entrepreneurs through the approved exemption for non-accredited investors” says Joelle Foster, co-founder of WEL Manitoba and Managing Partner (MP). “This truly is an example of regional collaboration and captures the spirit of our province in contributing to our region’s economic recovery by allowing more women to invest and bringing vital capital to the region.” Continue reading “Women’s Equity Lab (WEL) Manitoba secures provincial exemption order from The Manitoba Securities Commission (MSC) to permit non-accredited investors to join early-stage venture fund”
March 23, 2023 – WEL Manitoba brings together a network of accredited women investors from across the province providing hands-on investment education and networking to its members and access to new capital for female founders at the pre-seed and seed stage on the Canadian prairies.
“We’ve been working over the past year to bring together the region’s first female fund that focuses on engaging and encouraging women to learn more about angel investing,” says Joelle Foster, co-founder of WEL Manitoba and Managing Partner, (MP). Joelle is the CEO of North Forge Technology Exchange, a technology incubator accelerator that also runs the largest publicly accessible fabrication lab in North America. “The success of the fund is due to the collaborative efforts taken by our four MPs who were able to bring these women together for our first capital raise in a region that is becoming nationally recognized as a growing tech hub.” Continue reading “Women’s Equity Lab (WEL) Manitoba Early-Stage Venture Fund Now Investing in Women-Led businesses in the Prairies”
March 7, 2023 – WEL Toronto launched its second fund in February – bringing together 50 women investors from the GTA to pool their capital to invest in early stage Canadian businesses.
WEL Fund 2 follows the debut Toronto fund launched in 2021. WEL is an investing and learning platform where a group of 40-50 women can get access to early stage deal flow, and learn how to invest alongside other women and experienced investors.
“We’re thrilled to get our second fund up and running,” says Sally Morris, Managing Partner, WEL Toronto. “The response to our first WEL Toronto fund was extremely strong, and we are very happy to be able to bring 50 more women into our second capital raise.” Continue reading “Women’s Equity Lab Toronto (WEL) early stage venture fund launches its second fund in 2 years.”
