BC Business
Raise Collective aims to increase financing for women business founders with 100-day challenge to raise $1 million for female entrepreneurs in Vancouver
Maggie Chan, community lead, Raise; Jill Earthy, co-founder Raise Collective, CGO of FrontFundr; Renee Safrata, WeRAISE, founder of Vivo Team; Angela Hamilton, WeRAISE, cofounder of Quupe; Sam Simonton, WeRAISE, founder of AMY Lifestyle; Merideth Schutter, WeRAISE, founder of PROtect App; Anna Heyd, WeRAISE, cofounder of Flax Sleep; Oana Papus, WeRAISE, cofounder of Flax Sleep; Vivian McCormick, WeRAISE, cofounder of Flax Sleep; Melanie Bradley, partner at Bordner Ladner Gervais and WeRAISE sponsor; Katrina Carroll-Foster, co-founder of Raise Collective and CEO of Kollectively
A collective of female founders, entrepreneurs and investors is calling on Canadians to increase diversity in business by launching #WomenRAISE: a 100-day challenge to raise $1 million in capital for seven female-led companies. The campaign ends July 4.
The group works to provide easier access to capital for female entrepreneurs and to engage more women in investing in early-stage and growing companies. The #WomenRAISE initiative sets up investor meetings with female-led startups seeking investment and holds events to connect female founders and investors. Businesses spotlighted during #WomenRAISE are part of Raise Collective’s WeRAISE program for women-led ventures currently raising capital.
Entrepreneurs seeking investment include:Angela Hamilton, co-founder and CEO of QuupeSarah Morgan, CEO of Nano-LitSara Bartlett, founder of Parc SwimwearErin Millar, founder and CEO of Discourse Media
Discourse Media and Parc are opening up access to investment for all qualified individuals starting at $150. The following businesses are also starting to raise funds from a combination of debt and equity:
Merideth Schutter, founder of PROtect Smart Personal SafetySamantha Simonton, founder and SheEOof Amy LifestyleAnna Heyd , Oana Papuc and Vivian McCormick, founders of Flax SleepRenée Safrata, CEO of Vivo Team Development
The Raise Collective was founded by: Jill Earthy, chief growth officer of FrontFundr; Katrina Carroll-Foster, CEO of Kollectively; Paulina Cameron, director, British Columbia and Yukon, Futurpreneur Canada, and author of Canada 150 Women; Sana Kapadia, chief impact officer at Spring Activator; Genevieve Pinto, partner at Renewal Funds; and Lauren Robinson, COO of Highline Beta.