Events
2026 Events
Be Bold Challenge Brunch
On January 20th, 2026, we hosted the Be Bold Challenge Brunch in partnership with Guardian Partners. This event brought together founders, funders, and ecosystem partners dedicated to fundamentally transforming the landscape for women-led ventures. We were honoured to host Marwa Abdou, Senior Research Director at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s Business Data Lab, who presented exclusive insights on “Women Entrepreneurs: Canada’s Biggest Missed Business Opportunity.” During the event, our CEO Dr. Sherry Shannon-Vanstone introduced our 2026 Be Bold Challenge: The Three C's to Drive Systemic Change.
WFW x Osler: Exclusive Venture Dinner
On July 9th, 2026, during the high-energy buzz of Startupfest in Montreal, we partnered with Osler to host an intimate Venture Dinner, bringing together 30 incredible founders, angels, and ecosystem partners. Against the backdrop of one of Canada's most vibrant tech weeks, the room came alive with candid, thoughtful discussions. We dove deep into what it truly takes to scale today- tackling everything from building resilience through market risk, to strengthening the Canadian founder-angel ecosystem, and navigating the evolving dynamics of founder-investor relationships.
2025
In 2025, WFW experienced substantial growth across all programming by expanding into virtual events and high-value digital content. This multi-channel approach provided deep-dive education and "under the hood" insights. This approach included five new initiatives in partnership with our sponsors.
Exclusive Venture Dinners
In partnership with Osler
The most valuable connections are made in small, intimate settings. That's why WFW and Osler are co-hosting invite-only, exclusive dinners for women founders and angel investors.
Founder's Fireside Chat
2025 Edition in partnership with Guardian Partners
On our mission to increase investment in women-led ventures, we're spotlighting Canadian women founders raising early-stage capital.
Legal Workshop Series
In partnership with Osler
Providing women funders and founders with essential legal insights. Practical, substantive content directly from Osler legal experts.
The Angel Insights Series
In partnership with Richard Rooney
Mobilizing more women to become angel investors and providing funders with first-hand investor perspectives to effectively raise capital.
The Spotlight
In partnership with The Scotiabank Women Initiative
Exploring authentic stories and actionable insights from Canadian women shaping innovation and investment.
2024 Events
Toronto Launch Event
Hosted by Osler on February 7th, 2024, the evening started with networking and cocktails, followed by insightful angel investor testimonials. We heard elevator pitches from 18 inspiring women founders. Joanna Griffiths, the powerhouse behind Knix, took the stage as our keynote speaker, sharing her remarkable journey as a woman founder.
Toronto Funder/Founder Roundtable
On February 8th, 2024, AWS hosted a vibrant morning featuring four rounds of roundtable sessions, where funders engaged with women founders, providing mentorship and invaluable insights. The event concluded with networking and lunch.
“The Women Funding Women Collective is a key effort in helping close the funding gap affecting women-led startups in North America by empowering them to come together to support each other and to come up with solutions to address their shared challenges."
Waterloo Region Launch Event
Hosted by Catalyst Commons on September 18th, 2024, the night was filled with energy, connections, and visionary leadership. We began with networking, dove into pitches from innovative women founders, heard from OSC, WEKH, Catalyst Ventures and Velocity Fund. We finished the evening with new and seasoned angels sharing their experiences.
WFW Vancouver Launch Event
Osler brought the energy on October 30th, 2024, with a standout event that started strong and only gained momentum. A fireside chat with Olivia Hornby and Tara Bosch, the trailblazing founder of SmartSweets, had the room laughing, reflecting, and feeling unstoppable. That energy flowed straight into elevator pitches from 11 incredible women founders. The night wrapped with cocktails and networking, where the conversations—and connections—kept thriving.
Our strategic alliances bring together organizations and resources committed to empowering women, offering gender equality, and catalyzing economic growth by providing equitable access to funding for women-led ventures.
WFW Vancouver Funder Breakfast
Our community called for action, and we answered; hosted by BDC on October 31st, 2024, we held the first WFW Funder Breakfast. At this exclusive gathering of women angels and VCs, participants shared their personal insights on the challenges and opportunities of funding as women. The enthusiasm for change was palpable, culminating in plans for a follow-up session laser-focused on scaling the number of women angel investors nationwide.
WFW Vancouver Funder/Founder Roundtable
Vancouver was buzzing on October 31, 2024, as AWS hosted a high-energy morning designed to drive results. Four action-packed rounds of discussions connected funders with women founders, delivering strategic guidance and unlocking opportunities. The morning wrapped with networking and lunch—and for one founder, a pivotal moment: securing her lead investor.
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