February News & Events from WEOC

Monthly News and Updates - February 20, 2024

JOIN

Have you got your ticket to the 2024 WEOC Leadership Summit? Organizations supporting women entrepreneurs from six provinces have already signed up for this two-day event.

Early bird pricing ends on Friday, February 23!

WEOC members $299
Non-members $499

Don't miss this opportunity for you and your team to hear from Canada's thought leaders and connect with others who are also supporting women entrepreneurs.

Come together for an inspiring day focused on leadership, inclusion and access to capital. Participants will gain insights from keynote speakers then participate in one of two streams: one for organization leaders and one for staff who work directly with women entrepreneurs. There will be lots of time for networking.

Get your early bird ticket today

Entrepreneurial Insights: A Conversation with NLOWE CEO Jennifer Bessell

On February 29 at 8:30 AM ET/7:30 CT, tune in to hear WEOC CEO Alison Kirkland in conversation with Newfoundland and Labrador Organization of Women Entrepreneurs (NLOWE) CEO Jennifer Bessell about the WEOC National Loan Program. The event is free but registration is required.

READ

The WEOC National Loan Program reaches a $5 million funding milestone

The WEOC National Loan Program has reached a milestone of $5 million in approved loans. With the support of our loan fund partners across Canada, more than 100 loans have been approved since November 22 to help women launch or grow their businesses. Check out these success stories here:

Save Da Sea: In 2018, Aki Kaltenbach became vegan and was looking for seafood alternatives for herself and clients of her family's Japanese restaurants – so she started making her own. The following year, she launched Save Da Sea, the Victoria, B.C.-based seafood vegan company. Read about how Kaltenbach connected with WEOC National Loan Program fund partner WeBC to take her business to the next level in BCBusiness.
Ravens Rest Retreat: Founded in 2021 by Heidi Penning and Jim deVries, Ravens Rest Retreat was built with nature in mind. Offering three rustic cabins on the Noel Shore of Nova Scotia, it offers a peaceful getaway from the stress of everyday life. Read about how the WEOC National Loan Program helped market their retreat to a wider audience on the Centre for Women in Business website here.
Poptronic: How can virtual reality (VR) technology be made more accessible to the masses? That was the question Kelly Bergeron and Chatnie Herne set out to explore when they launched Poptronic, a VR rental company whose clientele today ranges from corporations to community organizations. Read about how they made their virtual dream a reality with funding support from the WEOC National Loan Program.

What do you want to learn about exporting?

Are your clients thinking of exporting? Check out these two new stories about how women businesses are going global — and keep an eye out for more stories like it on our Export Hub, where you'll find a range of resources to support your clients in their export journey.

Explore the Export Hub

Upcoming Events in the Ecosystem

February 26-28, 2024 - The 2024 International Indigenous Tourism Conference will bring together industry professionals, community leaders, entrepreneurs and partners in Ottawa to showcase the diversity of what Indigenous tourism experiences have to offer in Canada and beyond.

February 29, 2024 - The StrikeUP Conference is convening women entrepreneurs and the women entrepreneurship ecosystem with the goal of inclusive economic growth.

March 10-15, 2024 - Organized by Global Affairs Canada, the Canadian AgTech delegation will head to Brazil to increase awareness of opportunities for small- and medium-sized enterprises with innovative agricultural technology solutions.

More upcoming events

Membership and Partnership

WEOC welcomes YWCA Vancouver! We're thrilled to work with them to support women entrepreneurs in their region.

If your team is interested in helping your clients access funding and support through the WEOC National Loan Program, or would like to attend exclusive events and access professional development opportunities, become a WEOC member today.

Advocates

$499

Non-profit organizations supporting women entrepreneurs through gender-specific business supports, including training, financing, advising, mentorship and networking

Champions

$249

Representatives of non-profit organizations working in Canada's entrepreneurial space offering a variety of business supports across urban and rural communities

Learn more about membership

Thank you to our current Visionary Corporate Partners for supporting women's entrepreneurship:

BMO

Payworks

Pepsi Canada

Square

Want to partner with WEOC?

Our corporate visionary partners help us advance our mission to support women's entrepreneurship in Canada. Becoming one has benefits including:

Growing brand awareness for your company
Representation on WEOC.ca, and through our social media channels and monthly newsletter
Exclusive sponsorship opportunities for WEOC events, content and programming
Access targeted DEI training for your staff

Details

Entrepreneurial Insights: A Conversation with NLOWE CEO Jennifer Bessell

The WEOC National Loan Program reaches a $5 million funding milestone

What do you want to learn about exporting?

Want to partner with WEOC?