News - Women's Equity Lab

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

Posted on June 23, 2023 by admin

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”

Women’s Equity Lab (WEL) Manitoba Early-Stage Venture Fund Now Investing in Women-Led businesses in the Prairies

Posted on March 24, 2023 by admin

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”

Women’s Equity Lab Toronto (WEL) early stage venture fund launches its second fund in 2 years.

Posted on March 16, 2023 by admin

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.”

Two new Women’s Equity Lab (WEL) early stage venture funds launch across North America

Posted on March 6, 2023 by admin

March 2, 2023 – Canada’s First All-Female Angel Fund Network expands in Atlantic Canada, Silicon Valley, US and Manitoba.

In an effort to support a growing number of women seeking education, opportunities and involvement as angel investors across North America, new WEL investment groups have launched in Atlantic Canada and Silicon Valley. Each is led by an exceptional team of diverse and highly-qualified women. Incorporating these women-led funds in an ecosystem that is historically underrepresented by women, they are providing crucial and intentional funding to founders and leveling the playing field for women founders and investors.

“Straight away, there was so much interest from women in each of the Atlantic provinces to become investors – that excitement certainly helped to create a lot of momentum in setting up the fund quickly,” Andrea King, Managing Partner, WEL Atlantic.

Continue reading “Two new Women’s Equity Lab (WEL) early stage venture funds launch across North America”

Women’s Equity Lab Celebrates International Women’s Day with National Hire, as new Toronto Investment Group takes off

Posted on March 8, 2022 by admin

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”

Women’s Equity Lab – Canada’s First All-Female Angel Fund Expands Across North America

Posted on July 13, 2021 by admin

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”

Women’s Equity Lab Brings More Women into the Investment Space

Posted on June 30, 2021 by admin

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.

Brew Ninja nets seed financing led by Maple Leaf Angels

Posted on June 29, 2021 by admin

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.

New Okanagan Women’s Investor Fund to Aid Women Owned Businesses in Economy Recovery

Posted on June 25, 2021 by admin

Twenty-five women have formed a new Okanagan angel investment fund that will focus on correcting the gender imbalance faced by women owned businesses when seeking investment and increase the number of women who are active start-up company investors.

“To mark International Women’s Day, the new Okanagan Women’s Mentoring and Angel Network (WMAN) will begin accepting applications from women founded, led or co-led businesses from the Okanagan region,” says Co-founder and General Partner, Camille Saltman. “Our goal is to increase the number of women angel investors, remedy the gender gap in start-up funding and aid women business owners who are bearing the brunt of economic fallout from the pandemic.”