HerStory initiative sees 30 female founders compete for $51K investment

Plus, 10 other stories you may have missed.

Author

CTJ Staff
May 28, 2023

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Welcome to this week's Sunday Briefing. In this issue, 30 female founders you need to know, plus 10 other stories you've probably missed. Have a great day. We'll see you again Wednesday.

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HerStory initiative sees 30 diverse, female founders compete for a $51K investment

The data is clear: traditional pitch competitions consistently fail women – so that’s why the HerStory pitch initiative is changing things up. The annual competition is narrative and story focused, and encourages a relatable, honest and feminist approach to information, connection and business building.

Ultimately, HerStory aims to amplify a diversity of voices and to connect modern entrepreneurs with investors, increasing the likelihood of women accessing funding and growing their pathways to success.

Last week, The51, organizers of HerStory 2023, announced this year’s 30 competition finalists who will get to share their stories with a panel of Capital Champions. They’ll dig into who they are, how they came to their idea, and why investing in them will bring innovation, value, and impact to their industry and to the future of more equitable access to capital.

Out of 30 finalists, 13 (or 43%) are Calgary-based, with the rest hailing from other cities. Below, meet the local founders who are vying for an investment of up to $51,000:

Get the full list of finalists, and register for Inventures to watch the pitches live this Friday, June 2.

Now, onto this Sunday’s weekly poll…

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🤝 Funding, Deals + Partnerships

  • WELL Health is expanding its primary care network with the acquisition of MCI Onehealth’s Alberta clinical operations. WELL Health will take on five clinics with over 50 physicians and expects the assets to contribute approximately $10M in revenue. WELL Health Technologies Corp.

📰 Need To Know

  • This Calgary company wants to be an algae innovator. The food technology industry is exploding these days, and Calgary-based Algi is one of those companies helping to revolutionize the sector by creating sustainable products using micro-algae. Calgary Tech Journal

  • Calgary cloud-based business management tool launched for golf industry. Club Unity, a tee time reservation software is being used in 12 clubs across Canada in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario. Calgary Tech Journal

  • Evaluating UPC and NDP plans for tech as Alberta’s election day approaches. Advance polling for the 2023 Alberta general election has already begun. What’s on the table for the province’s tech sector? Betakit

  • New IT program allows students to pay tuition after getting a job. A new program is allowing tech enthusiasts from low-income backgrounds to study IT support in Calgary without worrying about expensive tuition fees or massive student loans. CBC News

  • Meet the HerStory 2023 Finalists. HerStory is a pitch competition that puts female founders in a room with potential investors to tell their stories and win funding. The 51

  • Venture Capital lacking diversity? If money talks, then research shouts diverse teams and organizations simply perform better financially. The Chic Geek

  • Lyft expands ride-booking service to Calgary, Edmonton. Services launched in both cities on Wednesday, May 24. Calgary Herald

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