DMZ’s Women Innovation Summit is taking place on Thursday, March 6, 2025, and will incorporate several events throughout the day, celebrating women entrepreneurs and providing a platform for women tech founders to pitch for investment.

Nominations for 2025 Women of the Year award open December 2, 2024 and close January 19, 2025. Nominees are reviewed by DMZ and an external Steering Committee. Nominations are evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Impact and Influence
  • Has the nominee made a meaningful impact in a community, group or sector through technology?
  • Does their work deliver clear outcomes, such as solving challenges, benefiting others or advancing the field?
• Leadership and Contribution
  • Does the nominee inspire and guide others through exceptional leadership?
  • Have they contributed significantly by mentoring, advocating for diversity or fostering collaboration?
• Achievements and Ongoing Initiatives
  • Are they actively engaged in initiatives that drive meaningful change and progress?
  • Could this award help them achieve greater milestones in their journey?
• Professional Presence and Alignment
  • Do their achievements demonstrate expertise and influence in their field?
  • Does their work embody the values of innovation, leadership and community impact?

Women tech founders with a functional MVP and business dedicated to solving a compelling problem using innovative technology. Applications are open to women tech founders across Canada. See full applicant eligibility here.

Applications are reviewed by DMZ, an external Steering Committee and The Firehood. Applications are evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Product stage
• Scalability
• Leadership proficiency
• Market assessment
• Technological capabilities
• Application completeness

Yes, finalists must be available to pitch in person at DMZ’s Women Innovation Summit on Thursday, March 6, in downtown Toronto. The competition is open to women founders across Canada. If you are selected as a finalist and anticipate significant travel costs, you may be eligible for a travel subsidy from DMZ. Please indicate this in your application.

Here are the important timelines for the Women Innovation Summit Pitch Competition:

December 2, 2024: Applications open
January 19, 2025: Applications close at 11:59 pm
First week of February: Top 10 and top 25 finalists are notified
February 10-24, 2025: Top 25 finalists receive 2 pitch advisory sessions
March 6, 2025: DMZ’s Women Innovation Summit

The top 25 finalists are invited to DMZ’s HQ for the Women of the Year Breakfast and roundtable discussions and networking opportunities with fellow women entrepreneurs, partners, investors and mentors.

All applicants are invited to join us for the Women Innovation Summit Pitch Competition and networking to follow.

Investors who are interested in participating in the Women Innovation Summit should reach out to Annie Long at annie.long@torontomu.ca.

The Women Innovation Summit Steering Committee is comprised of industry leaders from a variety of verticals within business and technology. Their role is to ensure a wide range of perspectives, experiences and ideas are considered to reduce bias and facilitate an equitable review process of women-founder pitch finalists and Women of the Year award recipients.

The Committee’s feedback and insights are shared with The Firehood and DMZ for their consideration. For any additional information, please reach out to dmz@torontomu.ca.

Women entrepreneurs drive innovation and the global economy. However, they often encounter disproportionate barriers to business growth. That’s why women-identifying entrepreneurs at DMZ receive additional opportunities and boosted support to propel their growth – on top of the standard programming that all entrepreneurs receive. Whether you’re just getting started or have an established startup, you can tap into specialized support through our Women Innovation Programs. Learn more here.