EVENT
March 2027
Toronto, Canada
The 2027 Summit date and venue will be announced soon.
What's in store.
DMZ’s flagship event for women founders, the Women Innovation Summit, returns in March 2027 for its fifth annual event.
At the heart of the Summit is a live pitch competition, where 10 women founders will take the stage to pitch their companies for up to $150,000 in investments from DMZ Ventures.
Join founders, investors and leaders from across Canada’s tech ecosystem for a day centred on women building and scaling ambitious companies — and putting real capital behind them. The 2027 Summit date and venue will be announced soon.
$150K in investments.
10 founders. 1 stage.
Canada’s most promising women tech founders will take the stage at the 2027 Women Innovation Summit to showcase their companies in front of investors, industry leaders and the broader tech ecosystem.
Applications are now closed, but applications for DMZ’s Incubator and
Pre-Incubator program are open year round with boosted support for Women founders.
Your path to the Women Innovation Summit.
Applications closed
Applications to pitch at the 2027 Women Innovation Summit are closed. Selected applicants will be notified in October.
Get investment ready
Up to 40 women founders will take part in the Investor Readiness Bootcamp by FemTech Breakfast Club.
Pitch at the Summit
10 founders will advance to pitch live for up to $150,000 in investments at the Women Innovation Summit in Toronto in March 2027.
Investor Readiness Bootcamp.
Up to 40 women founders selected will take part in FemTech Breakfast Club’s bootcamp to become investor ready. Sessions are 3 hours and take place virtually throughout November 2026.
Financial fluency
Refine your model, balance sheet and P&L with expert guidance.
Pitch and storytelling
Refine your story and test it live with VCs.
Fundraising readiness
Strengthen your data room, cap table and IP strategy.
Women Innovation in the spotlight.
Explore the stories, milestones and defining moments from the Women Innovation Summit.
What to expect?
Here’s what’s in store at the 2027 Women Innovation Summit.
Watch 10 women founders take the stage to pitch for up to $150K in investments in front of investors, industry leaders and key players in Canada’s startup ecosystem.
Hear from leading founders, investors and industry voices sharing candid stories and insights on building, scaling and raising capital.
Connect with founders, investors and leaders from across Canada’s tech ecosystem.
The 2027 Summit date and venue will be announced soon.
Our impact by the numbers.
awarded to women founders
at the 2026 summit.
attendees at the
2026 summit.
awarded since WIS
launched in 2023.
attendees we've welcomed
at WIS since 2023.
I came into this feeling like an underdog, but I believed in what we were building. The coaching, investment and visibility from this experience have allowed us to bring July Health to more Canadians, faster.
Julie Mai
Founder and CEO, July Health & WIS
1st Place Investment Prize Winner
Our partners.
Meet the champions behind this year’s Women Innovation Summit.
INVESTOR Readiness Partner
SUPPORTING Partner
INVESTMENT PARTNER
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Partner with us.
Interested in partnering with DMZ to back our flagship women entrepreneurship event?
Delaram Amani, Programs Lead
This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada through the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, administered by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.
Frequently asked questions.
The Women Innovation Summit is open to women founders and co-founders based in Canada who are building technology-enabled businesses and preparing to raise capital.
Up to 40 finalists will be invited to take part in the Investor Readiness Bootcamp. From there, the top 10 founders from the bootcamp will be selected to pitch live at the Women Innovation Summit in Toronto in March 2027.
Applicants should be:
- A woman founder or co-founder in a leadership role
- Building a technology-enabled business that solves a clear problem
- Preparing to raise capital in 2027
- Available for the virtual Bootcamp sessions on November 3, 5 and 10, 2026
- Available to pitch in person in Toronto in March 2027, if selected as a top 10 finalist
- Open to feedback and ready to actively participate in the program
Applications will be assessed based on the company’s stage and traction, market opportunity, scalability, technology, fundraising readiness and the strength of the founding team.
The Summit is taking place in March 2027 in Toronto. The date and venue will be announced in early 2027.
Key dates are as follows:
September 25 (11:59 PM EST): Applications close.
October 23: Up to 40 women founders will be notified.
November 3, 5 & 10: Up to 40 women founders will take part in the Investor Readiness Bootcamp by FemTech Breakfast Club.
Jan 2027: The top 10 women founders will be notified.
March 2027: The top 10 women founders will pitch at the Women Innovation Summit.
Terms will be negotiated following the competition, subject to due diligence. Investment recipients will receive guidance on term sheet negotiation.
Women entrepreneurs bring incredible innovation and talent to the startup world, yet they often encounter systemic barriers to funding, resources, and representation. DMZ’s Boosted Support for Women Founders helps bridge this opportunity gap by providing tailored programming, mentorship, and access to capital for women-led tech startups.