By now, most of us have felt the impact a global pandemic can have on our everyday living. Individuals, small businesses and global economies alike are already feeling the amplitude of the repercussions that have come with the COVID-19 virus.

Despite the chaos this virus has created, several DMZ companies (current and alumni) are pushing their traditional boundaries and devoting additional time, money and resources to help those in need. Some startups are cutting platform subscription fees for small businesses, while some are forming charitable partnerships within the community. Others have staff working around the clock to build new functionality to save customers millions of dollars. 

Kudos to these DMZ companies who are placing values before profit during this time:

AirMatrix

Drones are becoming a major part of our transportation system. AirMatrix provides the infrastructure technology to help cities effectively navigate drones in the sky. The startup’s platform gives enterprises and local governments a layered grid system by building precise highways in the sky to create safe, scalable and efficient transportation systems in high-dense areas.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought urgent use cases for drones in cities around the world, meaning AirMatrix’s technology will be integral in enabling and scaling drone operations needed to combat the spread of the virus in Canada. The company has already mapped and developed a significant network of skyroads in the downtown core of Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. AirMatrix is working with government to deploy their technology, which will be critical in flattening the curve and stopping the spread of infection.

Clout Jam

Clout Jam is a business management platform that specifically serves independent influencers, equipping creators with the right tools to prosper in business and thrive in life. In response to the current COVID-19 crisis, co-founders Trevor Mengel and Samantha Cutler have jump-started a unique campaign, #CloutForGood. This new initiative is designed to connect all types of influencers with pro-bono opportunities to help raise awareness of many Canadian charities, particularly those on the front line of the fight against COVID-19. Already, #CloutForGood has received notable attention from the community! Several charities have jumped on board to partner with Clout Jam, including Food4Kids, Foodbanks Canada, and UNICEF Canada, with new non-profits joining daily. Canadian influencers participating in #CloutForGood include: @drea_wheeler, @sashaexeter, @caleighfit, @carlingliski, @haylesbeth, @bylaurenp, @alessiasculpt and (of course) @thefitfatale, run by co-founder Samantha.

Get involved! Influencers and registered non-profit organizations can participate in #CloutForGood by signing up at cloutjam.com/cloutforgood or contacting trevor@cloutjam.com.

Crowdmark

Crowdmark’s collaborative grading and analytics platform helps teachers more effectively evaluate student work. With the abundance of school closures taking place as a result of COVID-19, Crowdmark has recognized the impact this will have on their community of students and educators.

That’s why Crowdmark has decided to offer FREE access to its grading and analytics platform to any institution that needs to move exams and homework online – even if the institution is not currently a customer! The company has also created a web page of resources available to educators, which will help institutions move exams online with Crowdmark.

Crescendo 

Crescendo is helping business leaders run remote teams of staff in a meaningful way. Crescendo’s goal is to make Diversity & Inclusion learning personalized, accessible, and measurable – and that doesn’t stop just because teams are working remotely! The tech startup empowers its customers to improve diversity and inclusion outcomes through scalable software and a personalized D&I learning Slack integration. Marginalized and vulnerable populations will inevitably be the hardest hit by effects of COVID-19, so Crescendo has made its D&I learning platform FREE for the next 6 weeks. This means businesses can be equipped with the right tools to scale their D&I strategy while enabling remote employees to practice inclusivity. Additionally, Crescendo has launched a comprehensive D&I guide for managers and employees.

Drizti

As a company that has set out to improve the supercomputing experience for innovators globally, it’s no surprise that Drizti is ahead of the game in supporting researchers who need it most right now. The speed and legitimacy of COVID-19 research is high-priority right now, and Drizti is taking actionable measures to help organizations such as endCoronavirus.org educate in order to end the outbreak. To show appreciation for the work that’s being done, Drizti has offered researchers their Supercomputing and High Performance Computing (HPC) expertise to help speed up the research and design of equipment. 

Embodia 

Embodia, Canada’s largest online education platform for Physiotherapists, has been a key leader during this global pandemic. With mass closures to physio clinics, Embodia’s tools are here to help practitioners continue serving their patients! The tech company has announced a FREE Telehab Solution, allowing Embodia members to keep their virtual office lights on and continue business as usual. This free solution pairs well with Embodia’s digital home exercise program software, giving patients an optimal at-home experience and path to recovery.

FitDrive

As social distancing has become the new norm for most people, the fitness industry has inevitably faced consequences. How do fitness trainers, who rely so heavily on close social interaction, adapt in times like these? Luckily, FitDrive has been in the remote training space for a long time! FitDrive’s software helps trainers and gym owners digitize their business via an app with easy-to-use client management tools and one-click workout sharing.

To help trainers go digital during COVID-19, FitDrive is making many of its services FREE, including one-on-one business consultations (booked through the website) and a 60-day trial of the app which allows fitness trainers to create, share and track workouts with clients at no cost. Additionally, FitDrive is hosting a webinar on March 30th that will help trainers leverage technology to keep clients engaged and revenue stable during these turbulent times.

GrowthGenius 

GrowthGenius helps small B2B companies source meaningful customer leads via a smart sales development technology and powerful database of over 200 million contacts. In light of COVID-19 self-isolation advisories, sales teams feel more challenged than ever – selling remotely is no easy feat. That’s why GrowthGenius is complementing its technology with additional support from its own expert team. The GrowthGenius team has created an Extrovert Support Line – the expert team is readily available to answer questions on how businesses can maintain relationships with customers and leads. GrowthGenius is helping customers put the ‘social’ back in ‘social distancing’!

Hopeful Inc.

Hopeful’s cost-effective platform supports non-profit organizations (NPOs) by providing a cost-effective, user-friendly tool that allows NPOs to track collected data, analyze social media engagement and receive actionable insights on marketing strategies. Between COVID-19 and a declining economy, Hopeful is seeing immense pressure on NPOs like never before. During times of economic hardship, people look to non-profits for services – and simultaneously, non-profits aren’t seeing as many donations. Due to increased social distancing, fundraising events, which are huge revenue drivers, are causing NPOs to turn towards online channels to raise funds. 

That’s where Hopeful can help! The company is using data analytics to help NPOs discover what social media strategies are working and create content that will lead to more funds. To help deliver on this, Hopeful is offering FREE access to NPOs that are at the frontlines of the COVID-19 fight for 60 days.

Inkblot

With the growing complexity of a global pandemic, it’s important to recognize that there will not only be implications on individuals’ physical health, but also their mental health. InkBlot’s platform, which connects clients to mental health professionals, has been essential in a world that is now depending on virtual services. Recognizing that people would be reaching out for additional mental health support, Inkblot has decided to waive its onboarding and platform access fees until June 30.  Inkblot counsellors are available as early as today. Beyond this, Inkblot is offering FREE 30-minute, fully-guided meditation sessions by video, which can be accessed via the company’s website.

Inkbox

Companies who aren’t typically in the business of creating healthcare products have been stepping up to the plate to provide frontline workers with materials to protect against contracting COVID-19. Inkbox, a semi-permanent tattoo startup, has been recognized as a true leader throughout this pandemic. The startup altered its operations to begin manufacturing personal protective equipment (PPE) for Toronto’s essential workers. To keep communities safe, Inkbox has already produced and donated 100 face shields – and is ramping up materials to begin producing 10,000 sheilds per week in May!

Beyond face shields, Inkbox is also manufacturing hand sanitizer, cloth masks and semi-permeable wound dressings, all of which have been in high demand from essential workers.

Layla Care

It’s common for people to have heightened feelings of stress or anxiety during a pandemic. As a mental health service, Layla Care wanted to do their part to help the community manage the negative emotional impacts of isolation. 

Over the next two weeks, Layla’s Supportive Counselling for COVID-19 Stress program offers a one-time, FREE of charge counseling service to support Ontario residents struggling with stress. Through phone or video chat, licensed therapists will consult with Ontarians in need on various topics ranging from anxieties driven by uncertainty around daily life and financials to worries about health or the health of loved ones.

LiveGauge

LiveGauge offers real world marketing ROI solutions to help brands and agencies analyze marketing spend via an automatic, consistent and objective measurement solution.

Using their own automated solution for passive population measurement, LiveGauge saw the opportunity to develop a COVID-19 tracker. The team has been working diligently to develop an app-based solution to help enforce social distancing, track the historical path of confirmed cases, and communicate who in the community may have been exposed to carriers.

LiveGauge’s first release of this contract-tracing app is set for the first week of April. Stay tuned for more updates! This digital solution will undoubtedly contribute to flattening the COVID-19 curve.

Nimbus

Nimbus is changing the way higher education institutions facilitate online learning. With custom-branded digital solutions to help administrators increase student engagement, the Nimbus platform allows universities and colleges to build, modernize and centralize tutoring and mentoring programs.

To serve higher education institutions and students during this time, Nimbus Learning will be offering FREE access to their online tutoring platform to all partners, old and new, throughout this spring and summer! Nimbus is welcoming educational organizations that are not already using the platform and could benefit from support in developing a campus tutoring program to reach out.

Off2Class

Education management company, Off2Class, offers an extensive ESL Teacher Toolkit for schools and individuals who want to teach ESL online. With the need to find virtual options for in-person classes and tutoring sessions, Off2Class gives teachers and students a place to interact for mobile learning while maintaining social distance. With the current state of COVID-19 in mind, Off2Class has announced they are re-activating FREE trials for anyone who has ever signed up for an account – within their 6-year history! ESL educators should feel more empowered than ever to build their online business.

OnCall 

OnCall Health helps healthcare organizations launch and scale their own virtual care programs, and has demonstrated its commitment to helping the community during the COVID-19 outbreak. In response to the ongoing healthcare crisis, OnCall has released a FREE COVID-19 Self Assessment tool for all providers to use with patients. By utilizing the Self Assessment tool, providers can ensure that they are taking the necessary precautions to keep patients and their communities safe during this time.

Peekapak 

Peekapak’s e-learning platform primarily helps elementary students practice social-emotional skills. Through interactive gaming and personalized learning experiences, Peekapak’s leading curriculum teaches kids key social-emotional skills such as self-regulation, teamwork, and empathy. In response to the COVID-19 outbreak and the closure of schools globally, Peekpak wants families to feel supported during this time of uncertainty. Now, the company is offering FREE three-month access to their entire platform of resources to schools and districts impacted by closures. Additionally, the company has compiled a list of educational resources that will help students and families during this particularly difficult time. 

PheedLoop

COVID-19 has shaken the events industry – conferences, trade shows, and social gatherings worldwide have virtually come to a halt. PheedLoop, a company offering next-generation event management software, is acting fast to help event organizers power through the current crisis. Working in urgency to save the events industry, the company took on a challenge to accelerate the release of their new integrated live streaming platform, which is built into their robust event app, speaker portals and admin tools.

This newly launched live streaming functionality is now ready to be used by event organizers! In additional efforts to show commitment to the industry, Pheedloop is offering discounts to planners whose events have been directly affected by the COVID-19 spread.

PocketHealth

PocketHealth has seen an increased demand for its digital offerings since the start of COVID-19. Their product helps hospitals replace outdated systems of how medical images are given to patients. Formerly, hospitals like St. Michael’s in Toronto and Hamilton’s McMaster Childen’s Hospital would burn images onto a CD, which patients would then have to physically retrieve. This process was more demanding of the staff’s time and resources.

With PocketHealth’s platform, patients can now virtually receive and instantly access health records like MRIs, CT scans and X-rays. Since non-essential hospital visits have been limited due to COVID-19 restrictions, PocketHealth’s technology has needed now more than ever. Institutions are increasingly coming to recognize the need for this virtual method – so much that the company’s monthly deployments have jumped by more than 300 percent! As a result, PocketHealth has raised US$6.5-million in funding this month.

Portl Media

Portl’s platform delivers interactive content to rideshare passengers. Thousands of rideshare drivers for apps like Lyft and Uber have installed tablets to host Portl’s entertainment system, which doubles as an effective advertising platform. Marketers can benefit from highly-engaged consumers in this environment – the average ride time within a big city like Toronto is 17 minutes. During this difficult time, Portl has made changes that will allow advertisers to leverage the platform, but only for the greater good of making a difference during this pandemic. The startup is offering FREE ad space on screens throughout Toronto for all organizations that have a positive message regarding COVID-19.

REMITR

REMITR is a FinTech startup that offers small businesses a better alternative to bank wire transfers: a cost-effective, secure and non-stop global payment system.

REMITR has always championed entrepreneurs and small businesses, and they’re doing it again by offering all customers (existing and new) Zero-Fees for international AND domestic payments. All payments made via REMITR will be free of transaction fees up to April 30th. Click here to learn more and avail of this benefit.

Spiffy

It is inevitable that the restaurant industry will take a huge hit as operations are significantly scaled back to adhere to social distancing protocols. Spiffy’s modern e-learning platform helps small businesses in hospitality build more profitable operations via custom staff training modules, an engaging content library and robust reporting analytics. Spiffy recognizes that many of its customers will have difficulty weathering the COVID-19 storm. The tech company has made the decision to make their remote training platform FREE for the time being, encouraging restaurants to maintain productivity while still meeting health and safety guidelines.

Squiggle Park

Squiggle Park is a game designed to deliver content in a way proven to help kids master foundational reading skills. The Halifax-based platform is built by literacy experts and teachers to align with classroom curriculum – but is also designed to be fun for kids. While Squiggle Park’s content is designed for early learners aged 3 to 8, the company recently announced a new version of the game, Dreamscape, that is appropriate for kids aged 8 to 15.

Since COVID-19 has taken kids out of school, Dreamscape launched a partnership to get more kids excited and learning during an otherwise dreary time. The company partnered with Canadian Premier League soccer team, the Halifax Wanderers, to produce special content packs that feature stories about the team’s players, staff and club mascot. Kids can read the stories and are tested to earn rewards or receive the resources they need to improve their learning. The Wanderers’ players wrote the stories, which were then edited by educational experts to align with the Nova Scotia curriculum.

Trufan

Trufan’s leading social intelligence platform helps brands maximize the value they get from their audience and allows them to activate grassroots communities made up of super fans and micro influencers. As a purpose-driven startup, Trufan felt an obligation to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and provide whatever support they could to small businesses during this time – especially since consumer social media usage has gone drastically up.

To help brands leverage consumer engagement and grow online, Trufan has announced they will be offering a FREE 45-day trial on SocialRank, an audience segmentation tool, to startups and small businesses with less than 25K followers! Companies using Instagram or Twitter who would like to access the trial can get started by completing this short survey.

Ulula

For all types of organizations, measuring the health and well-being of employees can be challenging during a time like this. Ulula’s stakeholder management product connects businesses, workers, communities, and governments to de-risk operations and create value across global supply chains. To help organizations measure and mitigate the implications of COVID-19 on employees, Ulula has designed a tailored solution: the employee and worker impact assessment. This digital assessment tool will allow employers to take a rapid pulse on the workforce through indicators like worker mental health, perception of job protection, and more! Best of all, they’re offering the first assessment for FREE!

UXPLORE

UXPLORE’s platform helps organizations become more efficient and create economic value by augmenting human capabilities through automation solutions. The startup sees a future where rule-based and repetitive work tasks can be automated through an Intelligent Digital Workforce (IDW) that emulates human behaviour. UXPLORE’s IDW can be deployed as a practical solution for several use cases to improve efficiencies – including human resources, finance and accounting. Digital Workers can complete day-to-day repetitive tasks like managing and supporting customers, completing routine transactions such as order and ticket processing, and other time-consuming activities crucial for business continuity.

With the need for companies to work remotely due to ongoing physical distancing guidelines, UXPLORE is providing organizations with virtual capacity in the form of Smart Assistants and Digital Workers. UXPLORE recently announced they’re offering organizations FREE access to Maya, a new Smart Assistant built with AI technology that helps individuals find relevant and timely information related to COVID-19.

The DMZ wants to thank these startups who are stepping up to support others during uneasy times in the world. What is your business doing to support your customers or community? Let us know at dmz@torontomu.ca.

Black entrepreneurs and creatives have long been a driving force of innovation in the Canadian tech ecosystem. Yet, Black people face some of the most systemic and complex barriers when seeking tech opportunities. Calls to action around diversity in tech are everywhere, but that has not necessarily changed this story for Black entrepreneurs.

Black tech workers are:

• The lowest paid group at tech companies in Canada, comprising 2.7% of the workforce
• Left behind by most diversity initiatives that focus on people of colour without acknowledging the specific and varied experiences of Black populations

Black Innovation Fellowship (BIF) Founding Partner Isaac Olowolafe (Founder, Dream Maker Ventures & DMZ Advisory Council Member) understood this only too well and decided to do something about it. Other organizations that shared the same vision as Isaac decided to be a partner include Shopify, BMO, and Canadian Women’s Foundation.

“At the DMZ I learnt how to effectively express my ideas in a world that was dominated by people who did not talk or look like me. This is a bridge to being legitimized, to be able to figure out what your style is, on your own terms.”
– Manu Kabahizi DMZ Alumni Founder & CFO of Ulula

The DMZ values equity over everything and puts founders first.  Our BIF program takes a personalized programming approach, that is tailored for each founder so they can learn, develop and scale their business while staying true to themselves. 

The stories of black entrepreneurs in tech are diverse and full of innovative excellence. This should be celebrated.

So, we have decided to feature a few  Black entrepreneurs in our network that are making big moves: their achievements, their experiences, and what Black entrepreneurship and Black history month means to them.

Alexandra McCalla, DMZ BIF Founder and COO, AirMatrix. “I really appreciate that BIF is not separate but is seamlessly integrated into the DMZ.We do not need separate programs, we just need space held for us… There is so much history here (black people in tech) and there may only be two black people in your office but it’s really important for you to take the time to think about how their experiences are different than yours.” – Alexandra McCalla

Air Matrix:

• Partners with cities to develop highways in the sky or integrated transit systems for drones. 
• Secured pre seed round and won $100,000 from Communitech in 2019 and that’s only the beginning.

Manu Kabahizi, DMZ Alumni Founder & CTO, Ulula. “As an entrepreneur, I know how important it is to put people first. My staff, my customers, partners. People matter and that’s something I really saw at the DMZ.” – Manu Kabahizi. Manu is the new Head of the Accelerator Program at the Canadian Digital Service. Congratulations, Manu!

Ulula:

• Committed to preventing human rights abuses and operational risks in business supply chains.
• Utilizes enhanced two-way communication systems to ensure honest and continuous feedback loops between supply workers and operational teams across the world.

Farah Brunache, DMZ BIF Founder and CEO, Lagatos. “What attracted me most to the BIF program was how candid they were about the experiences of black founders, especially black women founders. There was a realness and transparency. No gloss, you don’t usually see that.” – Farah Brunache.

Lagatos:

• Empowers digitally underserved communities by running hyper-localized and accessible Infrastructure as Service (laaS) platforms. 
• Addresses the growing digital divide, which Farah witnessed in her home country of Haiti (where she is currently travelling to grow her consumer base).

Renee Raymond, DMZ BIF Founder and CEO, Daya Lens. “There are barriers for black entrepreneurs and they need to be acknowledged. BIF does that. The DMZ community here has taught me how to see potential mistakes as a part of knowledge production. There is so much knowledge here.” – Renee Raymond

Daya Lens:

• Provides VR Stimulation that gradually exposes those with PTSD to triggering environments so they can get back to their day-to-day lives 
• Grew from Renee’s work as a registered psychotherapist, where she saw the detrimental gaps in PTSD patient focused technology firsthand.
• Website in development, reach out at renee.raymond@dayalens.com to learn more.

Leon Nsengiyumva, DMZ BIF Founder and CEO, Odessu. “Representation matters, it’s cliche but it’s true. It is hard to not be around anyone that looks like you. We have a little community at the DMZ, it’s awesome… (Black history month) is an important time to reflect and programs like this are a step in the right direction.” -Leon Nsengiyumva

Odessu:

Utilizes AI to fight the biases of the fashion industry.

• Helps women find great clothing that actually fits, no matter their size, shape or age.
• Driven by Leon’s belief that everyone deserves to feel good in their clothes.

Tell us about the black entrepreneurs you think
are changing the tech game.
Share and tag @RyersonDMZ with #DMZBIF

Find out more and APPLY to DMZ’s BIF program.

• Got a great idea but don’t know how to make it happen? 
• Want to get started on your entrepreneurial journey while in school? 
• Willing to work hard and learn from the best? 
• DMZ’s Sandbox Student Grant has you covered!!

The DMZ values equity over everything because everyone has unique barriers when it comes to getting their ideas off the ground. We are here to give you the tailored support to not only start a business but run a business. 

Toronto’s startup landscape is interdisciplinary. You don’t have to be in engineering or business to be a revolutionary startup founder. 

Diversity is one of Ryerson’s greatest strengths. To apply for the program, your idea doesn’t have to be tech-focused but does need to be a cutting-edge solution to a pervasive problem. 

How does it work?

1. 1. Fill out the Sandbox Student Grant application.
      • Your application consists of a brief description of your solution or product, the problem it solves and what makes you and your idea unique.
   2. Applications are reviewed by a committee!
      • Successful applicants receive exclusive coaching from DMZ’s Entrepreneurs in Residence team who have the insider knowledge that will take your business to the next level. You will also be paired with a pitch coach that will get you pitch ready!
   3. Pitch Night! On Thursday March 12th successful applicants will get the opportunity to pitch their solution to a panel of judges and the winners will be announced.
   4. Continued support from the DMZ!

Let’s hear from some of the past winners….

Contraverse

Meet founders Josh (Ryerson Media Production) and Marisa (Ryerson Masters Digital Media) who won a $10,000 Sandbox Student Grant in 2019 and are now pioneering the cinematic virtual reality industry, where VR allows users to become the main character in an out of this world storytelling experience. They have gone on to win a Canadian academy award, present their business in Berlin and managed a Hotdocs VR film Festival! Josh and Marisa said:

“The Sandbox Grant opened up so many doors for us! The biggest highlight was being able to hire developers that helped us get our product to the next level.”

Travelot

Next, meet Sam (Ryerson Electrical Engineering) who saw the $1 billion lost in non-refundable flights in 2017 and decided to create a solution. 

He founded Travelot, an online platform that allows travellers to sell their non-refundable flights and hotel reservations at a discounted price. The grant allowed him to complete market research with customers, onboard 126 users with 0 marketing costs, optimize his platform and business model and launch his beta website at the end of 2019. Travelot has made huge strides and will continue to do so in 2020, as Sam has learnt to strive for “continuous improvement over delayed perfection.”

We know that passionate students who think outside the box will be the entrepreneurs we need to solve the world’s biggest problems. 

Are you up for the challenge?

Women founders are a key part of a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem, yet they continue to make up a minority and face unique challenges. Recognizing this, the DMZ has launched a new Women Founders Series that brings together female founders from across different startup communities for roundtable discussions and candid conversations. The series kicked off on December 4, 2019 with keynote speaker Natalie Gray, Cofounder of Cover. Here’s a recap of what happened.

Natalie Gray’s Journey to Become a Two-Time Founder

Natalie Gray was born and raised in Mississauga, Ontario. After completing an undergrad in commerce at Queen’s University, Natalie was drawn to New York City to attend business school at New York University. While there, she landed herself a coveted job  at Rush Communications doing brand partnerships and marketing. 

During her time at Rush, she realized she stood out among her peers when it came to working with numbers. Wanting to deepen her differentiating skills, Natalie returned to Canada at age 22 and completed a three-year math degree in just one short year at Queen’s University. 

Although the experience was intense, Natalie says it proved to herself that she’s capable of working exceptionally hard, managing her time methodically and achieving success under pressure. She thinks what helped her most was her passion and drive to create a dream career for herself – a mindset that had rubbed off on her while in New York City.

After graduating, she – like other millennials at the time – entered into a job market that was suffering in the wake of a recession. However, she came across an opportunity to join three other people in co-founding a startup called StyleKick. After two and a half years of hard work, challenges, setbacks and successes, the app was absorbed by Shopify in an acqui-hire. Natalie and her co-founders joined the Shopify team for a brief time on the product and design teams; however, they  were itching to get back to the startup scene.

One weekend, while away at a cottage with her original co-founder crew, the foursome came up with a new idea – an app that would enable users to upload photos of their possessions (like their car, home or pets) and get quotes from several l insurance providers at once. They built a rudimentary version of the app in just 48 hours and their next venture, Cover, was born.

In 2016, Cover was accepted into Y Combinator and, over the next several years, Natalie helped the startup successfully close several large rounds of funding. The company has grown to over 130 people with offices located in Toronto,  San Francisco, and Los Angeles. 

Key Issues Facing Women Founders Today – and Strategies for Approaching Them

Natalie’s keynote address, along with the “ask me anything” session that followed, produced an engaging, honest and candid dialogue. Many of the 25 founders around the table shared both their successes and challenges and asked Natalie for practical advice on critical issues facing their startups today.

From the conversations, three salient themes emerged:

1. Women Founders Continue to Face Discrimination

Natalie and many of the women around the table shared honest accounts of their experiences with discrimination in the tech startup space – and in particular when trying to raise funding. 

Although each person’s experience was unique, there were noticeable commonalities between them. And, in many instances, these personal stories highlighted the intersectional nature of discrimination based on gender identity, race, nationality, parental status and so on.

Natalie shared several tips that she’s found particularly effective when approaching difficult situations, including asserting herself and speaking with a confident and controlled tone, bringing the conversation back to the business itself if it strays, not honouring questions that have discriminatory underpinnings, and seeking out investors that respect women and see the value of diversity in business. She also shared strategies that can help ensure women are represented on boards, leadership teams and across different areas of the organization. Finally, she made the point that if an investor wants to pass up on a lucrative business opportunity because of their bias, it’s their loss and someone else’s gain. 

2. Fostering Diversity within Startups is Necessary, Though Not Always Easy

Diversity is critical when it comes to business success. Diverse viewpoints, opinions and backgrounds strengthen a business and make it more resilient – this is something we know. Yet, it’s not always easy to achieve diversity, especially in the tech industry where certain groups are underrepresented. Moreover, some founders found it can be overwhelming dealing with day-to-day issues, let alone finding the time to put a thoughtful diversity strategy in place. 

To help, Natalie offered a few practical approaches that her company is taking to foster diversity amongst their workforce, including auditing the language used in job postings to reduce bias and promote inclusivity, being mindful that the images they post on social media reflect the makeup of their company, and empowering their team to tackle these issues in new, creative ways. .

3. Understanding Funding Options Empowers Founders to Make Better Decisions

The audience had many questions for Natalie about fundraising, given her unique expertise in this area. Natalie spent time explaining different funding options available to startups at various stages, and some of the key pros and cons of each. She fielded questions from the audience and helped to troubleshoot specific challenges that founders were facing. She also spoke about tactics founders can use to find people who will add value to your business, and how to know when it’s the right time to bring in an investor.

Natalie reminded the room that, as intense as investor pitches can be, the interview goes both ways––founders must assess if they’re a good fit for the business, while investors assess if the business is right for them. Since a startup is likely going to be working closely and over the long-term with their investors, it’s important to work with people who truly respect you and value the importance of intersectional diversity. 

All in all, the first edition of the Women Founder Series offered a unique opportunity for female founders to share their experiences and ask for advice. The conversation was candid, inspiring and packed with actionable tips. Thank you, Natalie, for kicking off our series with your impactful and highly useful conversation!

Want to attend to next event? Be the first to know by following us on social @RyersonDMZ