EVENT
Women Innovation Summit 2026
Join Canada’s leading celebration of women driving innovation in tech. Pitch applications are now open – apply by February 5.
March 2026
Toronto, Canada
What's in store.
The Women Innovation Summit returns in March 2026, bringing Canada’s innovation ecosystem together under this year’s theme: All In.
All In is a call to move past conversation and into real commitment, because building an inclusive innovation economy is not women’s work alone. This year’s Summit brings everyone to the table – founders, funders, operators, corporate leaders, policymakers, men and allies – to drive meaningful, systemic change across the tech ecosystem.
At the heart of the Summit is a high-stakes pitch competition, where 10 women founders will take the national stage to compete for $150,000+ in investments.
Pitch for $150K+ in investments.
We’re calling on Canada’s most promising women tech founders to showcase bold ideas, scalable companies and real-world impact.
Bring your vision. Amplify your story. Connect with investors, industry leaders, and ecosystem allies who are All In on building the future of innovation.
Get funding ready
The top 25 finalists will receive virtual support through the Fundraising Bootcamp, helping them refine their pitch and fundraising strategy and prep their data rooms and financials to ensure they show up investor-ready.
Exclusive PR & visibility
Selected founders gain national exposure through DMZ’s social and digital channels, partner and investor networks, and media opportunities.
Pitch live on Summit day
From the top 25, 10 finalists will pitch live on the Women Innovation Summit stage for a chance to secure $150K+ in investments.
Fundraising Bootcamp.
The top 25 finalists will receive specialized support through the Fundraising Bootcamp in partnership with FemTech Breakfast Club. Bootcamp sessions will take place on Friday, March 6, Friday, March 13 and Friday, March 20. Each session lasts 3 hours. Founders will receive support to get investor-ready:
Refine pitch &
fundraising strategy
Clarify your story and approach to better resonate with potential investors.
Prepare investor-ready
data rooms
Ensure key information and materials are organized and easy to review.
Strengthen financials
& business valuation
Build confidence in your numbers and overall business fundamentals.
Summit day: What to expect.
Here’s what’s going down at our biggest Women Innovation Summit yet.
Watch Canada’s top women founders pitch live for $150K+ in funding in front of 200+ ecosystem leaders
Hear from trailblazing speakers sharing real, hard-earned lessons behind building game-changing companies
Network with investors, mentors, operators, and decision-makers driving change across the ecosystem
Through the Women Innovation Summit, we received funding support from DMZ Ventures – allowing us to grow our team, level up our AI and expand Cashew internationally. Additionally, the pitch coaching I received ahead of the Summit helped me sharpen our message and tell our story on stage.
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Addy Graves
CEO and Co-Founder of
Cashew & WIS 2025 Pitch Winner
Partner with us.
Interested in partnering with DMZ to back our flagship women entrepreneurship event?
Contact Justine Clark, Strategic Partnership 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 Summit is taking place between mid-late March 2026. Please stay tuned for our date announcement!
The pitch competition is open to women tech founders based in Canada who have a functional MVP and a business dedicated to solving a compelling problem using innovative technology.
Applicants must be available to attend the Summit in person in downtown Toronto. They must also participate in the virtual Fundraising Bootcamp (3 sessions) leading up to the Summit day.
Travel subsidies will be available to the top 10 pitch finalists if they are based outside of Ontario.
Eligibility criteria include:
- Woman founder: A woman founder or co-founder leading the business
- Technology business: Leveraging technology to solve a real problem
- Availability: Applicants should be available to participate in the Fundraising Bootcamp (March 6, 13, 20), the pitch rehearsal and Summit day (mid-late March)
- Strong team: Coachable, driven, and collaborative leadership
- Growth potential: Positioned to become a venture-backable startup
Applications are evaluated based on:
- Product stage
- Scalability
- Leadership proficiency
- Market assessment
- Technological capabilities
- Traction
The application focuses on understanding you, your company, and your readiness to raise capital. You’ll be asked to share:
- Founder details, company basics, description of your tech solution
- Evidence of progress to date, including customers, pilots, partnerships, and revenue (if applicable).
- Your monthly recurring revenue, top investor asks, and preparedness to participate in the Fundraising Bootcamp.
- A pitch deck, optional data room, and a short video of your 3-minute pitch.
Key dates:
February 5 (11:59 PM EST): Applications close
February 23: Top 25 finalists notified via email
March 6: Fundraising Bootcamp
March 13: Fundraising Bootcamp
March 20: Fundraising Bootcamp
The Top 25 finalists will receive support from the virtual Fundraising Bootcamp. From that group, 10 founders are selected to pitch live on the Women Innovation Summit stage, competing for investments in front of investors and ecosystem leaders.
The top 25 finalists will receive specialized support through the Fundraising Bootcamp in partnership with FemTech Breakfast Club. The Bootcamp is virtual and consists of 3, 3-hour sessions on Friday, March 6, 13, and 20:
March 6: Financial literacy and investment vehicles (intro to balance sheet & P&L), financial modeling workshop, and handling investor Q&A
March 13: VC pitch dry run, IP protection, and term sheet negotiation (Canadian SAFE)
March 20: Data Room 101, fundraising strategy and FOMO (pipeline building and investor intros), cap table construction and valuation, and early exit strategy
Terms will be negotiated following the competition, subject to due diligence. Founders selected for the Top 25 will receive guidance on term sheet negotiation as part of the Fundraising Bootcamp.
We have exciting plans to honour an exceptional woman leader at this year’s Women Innovation Summit. Stay tuned for more!
Investors interested in participating in the Women Innovation Summit can contact: Justine Clark justine1.clark@torontomu.ca
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.