Category: News

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.”

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.”

Victoria, British Columbia March 8, 2022 – Women’s Equity Lab (“WEL”) is pleased to announce that after an extensive search, Glynnis Vaughan has joined the organization as the new National Program Manager. Glynnis will focus on leveraging opportunities to manage the rapid expansion of WEL Investment Groups across North America. Glynnis’ position was funded by a federal government grant awarded by Women and Gender Equality Canada.

In addition to the operational Investment Groups in Victoria, Vancouver and Okanagan, Toronto recently launched as well and is looking to make its first investment soon.

“WEL was created to address the chronic and systemic under-representation of women in early-stage investing,” says Jane Tucker, a GP with WEL Toronto. “And the reaction to our newly formed Toronto Investment Group (which now has a 50-person waiting list), has been very enthusiastic. We’re proud to celebrate the momentum behind WEL on International Women’s Day and can’t wait to see what happens when more and more women are helping to shape the future of our economy.” Continue reading “Women’s Equity Lab Celebrates International Women’s Day with National Hire, as new Toronto Investment Group takes off”

Victoria, British Columbia, July 14, 2021 – Women’s Equity Lab (WEL), Canada’s first all-female angel fund is expanding across North America. WEL was first launched in Victoria in 2017 with the support of the National Angel Capital Organization (NACO) and has recently completed the investment of its third round. The Vancouver chapter was launched in 2020 followed by the Okanagan in early 2021. New groups are currently setting-up in Toronto, Winnipeg and Silicon Valley. To support the roll-out, WEL has just finished a complete rebrand and launched a new website at www.womensequitylab.com to help businesses apply for funding and for investors to find a WEL fund in their region. Continue reading “Women’s Equity Lab – Canada’s First All-Female Angel Fund Expands Across North America”

Fewer than 20 per cent of Canadian angel investors are women. Women’s Equity Lab has set out to shift that statistic, helping women learn the ins and outs of investing and to make money while they’re at it.

Women’s Equity Lab (WEL) is a Victoria-born innovation that gathers local women to pool their money to invest in early-stage startups. Members — 23 in the first round, 20 in the current round — meet regularly to learn how to invest in companies, discuss opportunities, vet deal flow and make investment decisions. In the most recent round, each participant invested a minimum of $6,000 for a pool of $100,000, which was then used to co-invest in companies the group thinks will generate the best return.

Regina-based Brew Ninja, a microbrewery management software company, has raised C$650,000 in seed-stage financing.

Regina, Saskatchewan-based Brew Ninja, a microbrewery management software company, has raised C$650,000 in seed-stage financing. The round was led by Maple Leaf Angels, with participation from Women’s Equity Lab, Capital Angel Network, York Angels, and VenturX.