About the conference

Women entrepreneurs play a key role in Canada’s economic growth and development; more so than ever before as the country recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The 2021 Women Entrepreneurship Conference was a free, month-long event series, presented by the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH) in partnership with Women’s Enterprise Organizations of Canada (WEOC). Sessions brought together leading researchers, policymakers, government representatives, women entrepreneurs and other key ecosystem stakeholders to better understand the challenges that diverse women entrepreneurs face and discuss best practices to advance inclusive innovation as part of pandemic recovery.

Partners

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Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH)

The Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH) is a national network and accessible digital platform for sharing research, resources, and leading strategies. With ten regional hubs and a network of more than 250 organizations, WEKH is designed to address the needs of diverse women entrepreneurs across regions and across sectors. In response to COVID-19, WEKH adopted an agitator role connecting women entrepreneurs and support organizations across the country and led network calls and training sessions. WEKH’s advanced technology platform, powered by Magnet, will enhance the capacity of women entrepreneurs and the organizations who serve them by linking them to resources and best practices from across the country.

With the support of the Government of Canada, WEKH will spread its expertise from coast to coast, enabling service providers, academics, government, and industry to enhance their support for women entrepreneurs. Ryerson University’s Diversity Institute, in collaboration with Ryerson’s Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship and the Ted Rogers School of Management, is leading a team of researchers, business support organizations, and key stakeholders to create a more inclusive and supportive environment to grow women’s entrepreneurship in Canada.

wekh.ca

Women’s Enterprise Organizations of Canada (WEOC)

WEOC is an association of organizations that work directly with women entrepreneurs. WEOC members support women entrepreneurs through a variety of services and initiatives, including business training, advising, financing, and mentorship. WEOC supports its members by providing learning and networking opportunities, sharing best practices, and curating a variety of resources so members have the tools needed.

weoc.ca