Women Entrepreneurship Fund announces Alberta recipients

Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion Mary Ng has announced the Edmonton and Calgary-area companies that will be receiving funding through the federal government’s Women Entrepreneurship Fund.

“Women entrepreneurs…of Edmonton make incredible contributions to our economy and community.”

Nine Calgary-area companies and 13 Edmonton-area women-led companies will each be receiving non-repayable contribution funding as part of the $20 million CAD that is being distributed through the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES), a $2 billion investment seeking to double the number of women-owned businesses.

It was originally announced in March that the WES was distributing its first round of funding and that 200 companies from across Canada had been chosen to receive money. Only 15 of those were named in March, with the government revealing the selected companies in various announcements over the past two months. Some of the Alberta companies included in the recent announcements were originally revealed as successful candidates as part of the March announcement, including A.P.E. Maintenance based in Cold Lake, Alberta. So far only 64 women-led companies of the 200 have been announced. The majority of those are $100,000 investments, with some companies receiving smaller amounts ranging from $36,954 to $96,576.

Minister Ng announced $900,000 spanning the nine Calgary-area companies, with each successful recipient receiving an investment of $100,000. She also announced a $1.2 million investment in the 13 Edmonton-area companies, with a couple of those receiving less than the maximum of $100,000.

“The women entrepreneurs and business leaders of Edmonton make incredible contributions to our economy and community every day,” said Randy Boissonnault, MP for Edmonton Centre. “I’m proud to be part of a government that takes women’s economic empowerment seriously. From tackling pay equity to modernizing parental leave, this government is taking action on gender equality, and that’s good for Canada and good for Alberta because when women succeed, we all succeed.”

Applications for the Women Entrepreneurship Fund originally opened in late 2018, and closed November 15. The funding is not specific to any one industry, but Minister Ng previously told BetaKit that many women working in tech and manufacturing will be part of this funding initiative.

Some of those tech companies that were part of the recent Alberta announcements include:

Splice Software, a Calgary-based SaaS company, offering a range of custom solutions that connects insurance, retail, and finance companies with customers using real-time, data-driven engagement across all mediums of automated communication. The company’s founder, Tara Kelly, has been active in tech, serving on the International Board for Voice User Interface Design, the Canadian Cloud Council, Technology Alberta, and the Entrepreneurs Organization.

Calgary-based Borealis GeoPower is developing projects in geothermal and solution mining throughout Western and Northern Canada. It works closely with local and First Nations communities to build clean energy projects for mineral and metal mining recovery that focus on zero-emission power and heat production, as well as participation in the international mineral sector.

The Government of Canada website stated that more companies will be announced “over the coming weeks.” The list of successful applicants can be found here.

With files from Isabelle Kirkwood

Meagan Simpson

Meagan Simpson

Meagan is the Senior Editor for BetaKit. A tech writer that is super proud to showcase the Canadian tech scene. Background in almost every type of journalism from sports to politics. Podcast and Harry Potter nerd, photographer and crazy cat lady.

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