Funding, Mentorship and Resources for Women Identifying Entrepreneurs – Founders Fund

Supporting founders since 2019.

Access mentorship, education, and barrier-free funding for your business.

Founders Fund is a founder led and built community supporting diverse women founders during every stage of their entrepreneurial journey.

Powered and brought to life by Tease, Founders Fund community members can access mentorship, education, and non-repayable funding opportunities to support their business and leadership growth & development, all completely free of charge.

Stay in touch

$150,000+

The amount of barrier-free funding we have supported over 20+ businesses with since 2019.

16%: The number of majority women owned & led businesses in Canada* (*Stat: BDC)

2.3%: How much Venture Capital funding was invested in women in 2020* (Down 30% since 2018, Source, Forbes)

Why equity matters: if men and women participated equally as entrepreneurs the GDP could rise by $5 trillion globally and $80 billion in Canada. Gender equity also leads to more profitable and innovative companies.* (*Source: BDC)

Mentorship.

Founders Fund community members can access world class mentorship sessions and events to elevate their leadership & growth.

Our mentors are industry leaders from companies like Shopify, Amazon, Gym Shark & more. One on one mentorship sessions give you the opportunity to ask questions and gain unique insight into their success stories. We have recruited some of the best of the best.

Connect with a mentor

Education.

Founders Fund has proudly partnered with BDC to bring more resources and education to women entrepreneurs within our community and beyond through our virtual FREE quarterly events.

RSVP for the Next event

Funding.

We've received over a thousand inspiring applications as part of our Founder led and supported barrier-free, micro-grant programs.

see current funding opportunities

Bad for Business Podcast

 ‘Bad for Business’ features stories of underestimated and unconventional leaders that have been told they’re ‘Bad for Business’ because of their personal identity, education, disruptive business model, and so many more fictional measures of traditional business success. 


Join us each week as we deep dive into the real, unfiltered story behind the success of the top leaders in business and what makes them ‘Bad for Business’.

Listen Now

"The support from the founders fund community is not only a massive financial help, but also such a vote of confidence from a community we respect and admire."

- Mikayla Wujec & Naomi Blackman, Founders of Alder Apparel (2020 Funding Recipients)

"Seeing successful people who look like me, reminds me that I am capable of taking up space and disrupting e-commerce."

-Edo Odozor, Founder of Naij Hair

"I wish this program existed when I started my business."

-Kat Gaskin, Mentor & Founder of The Content Planner

"The first investment I made when I decided to start a business was a Founders’ Fund membership. The community gave me the sense of belonging I needed to get started."

-Neria Aylward, Founder of Well Rounded Academy

Land Acknowledgment

Founders Fund operates on the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishnaabeg People, with our community spanning many locations across Turtle Island.

We are grateful to the care, knowledge and innovations of the many First Nations, Inuit and Métis people that have contributed to our communities.