Accelerate Okanagan, University of Victoria, and VIATEC alongside the Digital Supercluster, continue to advance innovative entrepreneurial women in British Columbia through W Venture.
W Venture is an entrepreneurship program for women-led tech-enabled companies that is being offered again this fall for women in Victoria and the Okanagan who are ready to accelerate their business. Participants will gain the necessary skills to confidently address their unique business challenges, giving these women-led companies the greatest chance of success. This is done through personalized, hands-on support from curated mentors and subject-matter experts while connecting with a community of peers from across the province.
Applications are open now until July 29th, with the program kicking off on September 12, 2022.
“When we launched W Venture in the Fall of 2020 in the height of COVID, we couldn’t have predicted the program would have such a positive impact on women entrepreneurs in BC.,” says Program Manager Shelley Voyer. “The first cohort of W Venture leaders continue to make significant strides building successful ventures. With 97% of them saying they would recommend W Venture to someone they know, we’re thrilled to be able to run the program again and continue to help women thrive and build remarkable companies in BC.”
W Venture is an intensive 12-week program that pulls together mentors and experts to apply hands-on support to solve the most critical barriers to growth that each venture faces. “I have participated in numerous accelerator programs since 2012. W Venture was by far the most impactful on my business and my development as a woman entrepreneur”, Angela Nagy CEO, GreenStep Solutions Kelowna, BC.
“Finding my community as a woman in Cleantech has empowered me to push my limits as a CEO. The support and encouragement from my fellow female leaders inspires me to think big, act boldly and work harder to achieve the success that women before us could only dream of achieving” Susan Blanchet, CEO, Origen Air, Victoria, BC.
“I can’t recommend this program highly enough. It’s like nothing else in terms of how hands-on it is in helping women-identifying entrepreneurs succeed. If we ever want to diversify the startup ecosystem, we must have more women at an executive level, and there is no better way I can think of for that to happen than to continue to support women founders via W Venture.” Eve Olynk, CEO, MeepMeep, Victoria, BC
“W Venture has given us a breadth of clarity in terms of what it means to properly develop our company! It feels like we’ve just completed business school and are ready to continue forward with more knowledge than we ever expected. We will be forever grateful. What a community! Because of W Venture, we’ve made connections with people we would have never dreamed of meeting.” Jess Devenport, CEO, Paintillio, Sechelt, BC
W Venture will be delivered remotely to allow women entrepreneurs from across British Columbia to access the program.
For more information about W Venture and to apply, please visit www.wventure.ca.
