Arlene Dickinson

Arlene Dickinson is the founder and CEO of Venturepark, Canada’s most extensive business growth ecosystem focused on consumer-packaged goods (CPG).

She is a three-time best-selling author and accomplished public speaker. Dickinson is widely recognized for her role as a Dragon/Venture Capitalist for over 13 seasons on the multi-award-winning television series, Dragons’ Den.

Ms. Dickinson’s leadership has been recognized many times, including Canada’s Most Powerful Women Top 100 Hall of Fame, the Pinnacle Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence, as well as PROFIT and Chatelaine’s Top 100 Women Business Owners. She is a Marketing Hall of Legends inductee and a proud recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Award.

Get to know Arlene Dickinson

What are your hopes for the next generation of women in tech?
That they will innovate for the right reasons. Tech that keeps our mental health top-of-mind while progressing society in ways that truly matter. It’s time for a broader, less biased group to leave their fingerprint on the architecture of technology in a way that better serves the world.

What’s the greatest piece of advice you’ve ever received?
My dad used to tell me that I would be a lot less worried about what others thought of me if I knew just how little they did. It took me a while to realize this, but once I did, it made me understand that other people’s opinions of me don't shape who I know I can be.