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The Funding Gap is Real

We’re addressing long-standing systemic issues in the investment landscape and the drastically disproportionate amount of funding raised by women-founded companies.

Two Ways We’re Changing the World:
  1. Increasing access to capital for women-owned and women-led technology startups.
  2. Increasing the number of women investing in the next generation of founders.

Just 2%

of 2023 venture capital was raised by female founders.

Only 29%

of STEM occupations are filled by women.

Less than 18%

of senior management positions in STEM companies are held by women.

The beginning

SheBoot was founded by Invest Ottawa and the Capital Angel Network in 2020 and became a national non-profit organization in 2023.

We continue to share the goal of inspiring and empowering women founders and investors and to collaborate on advancing long-term, sustainable change.

Meet the Team

Jennifer Francis
Co-Founder and Investor
Julia Elvidge
Co-Founder, Chair and Investor
Sonya Shorey
Co-Founder
Jane Baird
Executive Director
Katie LeClair
Program and Marketing Manager
Lana Legostaeva
vCFO

Champions

Brigitte LeBlanc-Lapointe
Carolyn Rabb
Carol Devenny
Carol Mason
Chelsea Gillet
Debbie Pinard

Fabiola Alvarez
Feiran Zhou
Irena Kramer
Janice Singer
Jenn Markey
Jennifer Francis

Julia Elvidge
Kayla Cavanaugh
Kim Butler
Lisa Carroll
Lorraine Mastersmith

Maureen O’Higgins
Mary O’Neill
Megan Maltby
Melanie Polowin
Michelle McBane

Nancy Furbee
Naomi Morisawa De Koven
Sandra Ng
Sandra Saric
Sherri Faloon

Su Mardelli
Susan Richards
Sushila Sahay
Shannon Gallant
Vanessa Thomas

We extend additional thanks to the dozens of SheBoot promoters and allies who share our vision and provide critical support to participating women founders.
Passionate people make this program possible. If you’re interested in supporting women-led startups as a mentor, advisor or investor, we’d love to meet you!

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