Rochelle Grayson photo by Tris Hussey
An entrepreneur asked me last night, at StartupDrinks Toronto, if I knew any women entrepreneurs in Canada. Here is a list of entrepreneurs and advisors that I can think of off the top of my head. It also prompted me to reread Tereza Nemessanyi’s OpEd about women founders and the notion of an XX Combinator. I look at our events and many of my interactions with entrepreneurs and it is distinctly male, probably more specific it’s young males between 18-30 (the good news is that it’s no longer distinctly white university educated males it’s a mix of cultures and nations of origin though it’s still very male).
“Much of what we think of as innovation is the creative tension between differing viewpoints” – Xerox PARC
There’s a strong need to celebrate our differences. The diversity (and acceptance of differences) is one of the things that makes this a great spot for startups. The large number of cultures, ages, and other factors make for great teams and for opportunities for something special to emerge.
And I was thinking about my daughters, and reflecting about the great women entrepreneurs and change makers that I’m met recently (and some I’ve only read about). This list is by no means comprehensive, but it meant to help others find inspiration in the great companies being started in Canada. The list includes::
- Leila Boujnane (@leilaboujnane), Idee Inc.
- Suzie Dingwall Williams (@suziedingwall), Venture Law Associates
- Maggie Fox (@maggiefox), Social Media Group
- Tara Hunt (@missrogue) & Cassandra Girard, Shwowp!
- Kristine Matulis (@kristinematulis), Firstround Marketing
- April Dunford (@AprilDunford), RocketWatcher
- Debbie Landa (@deblanda), Deal Maker Media
- Jacqui Murphy (@jacquimurphy), TechCapital
- Amber MacArthur (@ambermac), MGImedia
- Elizabeth Caley (@ECaley), Common Enterprise
- Gosia Green, LearnHub
- Rochelle Grayson (@RochelleGrayson), BookRiff
- Lauren Friese (@LaurenFriese), TalentEgg
- Sarah Prevette (@SarahPrevette), Sprouter
- Cindy Gordon (@Helixcommerce), Helix Commerce
- Jen Evans (@nejsnave), Sequentia Environics
- Krista LaRiviere (@KristaLaRiviere), gShiftLabs
- Tonya Surman (@tonyasurman), Centre for Social Innovation
- Sacha Chua (@sachac), IBM
- Ali de Bold (@alidebold), ChickAdvisor.com
- Caterina Fake (@Caterina), Hunch
- Maria Ly (@marialy), Skimble (whose post was a huge help)
- Nancy L. Knowlton, Smart Technologies
- Monica Goyal (@mylegalbriefcas), My Legal Briefcase
- Rayanne Langdon (@rlangdon), HighRoad Communications
- Amrita Chandra (@tinkugallery), Director or Marketing, Asigra
- Evelyn So (@evelynso), Noesium
- Katherine Barr (@kbmdv), Mohr Davidow Ventures
- Layla Jazrawy (@layla), JazLife
- Joanna Track, sweetspot.ca
- Carol Leaman (@carolleaman), CEO, Postrank
- Andrea Baptiste, CEO, Benbria
- Sally J. Daub, ViXS Systems
- Dulcie Clark, Pip Animation
- Sue Miller, Hatsize
- Alice Reimer, Evoco Inc
- Lakshmi Raj, Replicon
- Sharlyn Ayotte, T-Base Communications
- Julia Elvidge, Chipworks
- Sue Abu Hakima, Amika Mobile
- Lydia Sani, Invisions
- Catherine Devlin, Devlin Applied Design
- Karen Spaulding, Metaworks
- Tanya Shaw Weeks, Unique Solutions
- Pj Lowe (@pj_MamaHippo), tinyHippos
- Lucia Mancuso (@lulula), The Blog Studio
- Erica Ehm (@yummymummyclub), Yummy Mummy Club
- Julia Rivard, SheepDog
- Maura Rodgers (@maurar), Bootup Entrepreneurial Society. Strutta.
- Angel Pui (@angelpui), Weddingful
- Amielle Lake, Tagga
- Amy Yee (@amy_yee), EventBots
- Caroline Kealey (@carolinekealey),Results Map
I know that I’m missing a lot of founders. Let me know directly or help add folks in the comments.
Add Layla Jazrawy (http://twitter.com/layla) as Co-Founder of JazLife (http://jazlife.com)
Add Layla Jazrawy (http://twitter.com/layla) as Co-Founder of JazLife (http://jazlife.com)
A really useful post David. I’m keeping this one on file. K
A really useful post David. I’m keeping this one on file. K
Thanks for the mention although I should point out I am not one of the founders of Asigra – just one of their happy marketing executives :)
Thanks for the mention although I should point out I am not one of the founders of Asigra – just one of their happy marketing executives :)
Joanna Track over at sweetspot.ca
Joanna Track over at sweetspot.ca
Added Joanna Track and Layla Jazrawy. Thank you!
Added Joanna Track and Layla Jazrawy. Thank you!
I’d certainly include:
Lucia Mancuso, The Blog Studio President, http://theblogstudio.com, http://twitter.com/lulula
Erica Ehm, Yummy Mummy Club founder, http://www.YummyMummyClub.ca, http://twitter.com/yummymummyclub
You should also correct Krista LaRiviere’s name. There’s an extra i in Krista.
I’d certainly include:
Lucia Mancuso, The Blog Studio President, http://theblogstudio.com, http://twitter.com/lulula
Erica Ehm, Yummy Mummy Club founder, http://www.YummyMummyClub.ca, http://twitter.com/yummymummyclub
You should also correct Krista LaRiviere’s name. There’s an extra i in Krista.
What a great list, some of the most impressive startups in Canada, bar none.
What a great list, some of the most impressive startups in Canada, bar none.
Hi David, great article! I would like to add the charismatic Pj Lowe (@pj_MamaHippo) co-founder and COO here at tinyHippos.
Hi David, great article! I would like to add the charismatic Pj Lowe (@pj_MamaHippo) co-founder and COO here at tinyHippos.
Great list…..a few more…..
Carol Leaman, CEO PostRank: http://www.postrank.com/
Sally J. Daub, CEO ViXS Systems: http://www.vixs.com/
Alice Reimer, President Evoco Inc: http://www.evoco.com/
Dulcie Clark, President and CEO Pip Animation http://www.pipanimation.com
Sue Miller, CEO Hatsize: http://www.hatsize.com/
Alice Reimer, President Evoco Inc: http://www.evoco.com/
Lakshmi Raj, Co-CEO Replicon: http://www.replicon.com/
Sharlyn Ayotte, CEO T-Base Communications: http://www.tbase.com/
Julia Elvidge, President Chipworks: http://www.chipworks.com/
Sue Abu Hakima, CEO Amika Mobile: http://www.amikamobile.com/
Lydia Sani: CEO Invisions http://www.invisions.com/
Catherine Devlin, CEO Devlin Applied Design, http://www.devlin.com
Karen Spaulding, President, Metaworks http://www.metaworks.com
Tanya Shaw Weeks President & CEO, Unique Solutions http://www.uniqueltd.com
also Julia Rivard CEO SheepdogInc.
also Julia Rivard CEO SheepdogInc.
David, Awesome list….. a few more……
Carol Leaman, CEO PostRank: http://www.postrank.com/
Sally J. Daub, CEO ViXS Systems: http://www.vixs.com/
Alice Reimer, President Evoco Inc: http://www.evoco.com/
Dulcie Clark, President and CEO Pip Animation http://www.pipanimation.com
Sue Miller, CEO Hatsize: http://www.hatsize.com/
Alice Reimer, President Evoco Inc: http://www.evoco.com/
Lakshmi Raj, Co-CEO Replicon: http://www.replicon.com/
Sharlyn Ayotte, CEO T-Base Communications: http://www.tbase.com/
Julia Elvidge, President Chipworks: http://www.chipworks.com/
Sue Abu Hakima, CEO Amika Mobile: http://www.amikamobile.com/
Lydia Sani: CEO Invisions http://www.invisions.com/
Catherine Devlin, CEO Devlin Applied Design, http://www.devlin.com
Karen Spaulding, President, Metaworks http://www.metaworks.com
Tanya Shaw Weeks President & CEO, Unique Solutions http://www.uniqueltd.com
David, Awesome list….. a few more……
Carol Leaman, CEO PostRank: http://www.postrank.com/
Sally J. Daub, CEO ViXS Systems: http://www.vixs.com/
Alice Reimer, President Evoco Inc: http://www.evoco.com/
Dulcie Clark, President and CEO Pip Animation http://www.pipanimation.com
Sue Miller, CEO Hatsize: http://www.hatsize.com/
Alice Reimer, President Evoco Inc: http://www.evoco.com/
Lakshmi Raj, Co-CEO Replicon: http://www.replicon.com/
Sharlyn Ayotte, CEO T-Base Communications: http://www.tbase.com/
Julia Elvidge, President Chipworks: http://www.chipworks.com/
Sue Abu Hakima, CEO Amika Mobile: http://www.amikamobile.com/
Lydia Sani: CEO Invisions http://www.invisions.com/
Catherine Devlin, CEO Devlin Applied Design, http://www.devlin.com
Karen Spaulding, President, Metaworks http://www.metaworks.com
Tanya Shaw Weeks President & CEO, Unique Solutions http://www.uniqueltd.com
Carol Leaman, CEO PostRank @carolleaman
Carol Leaman, CEO PostRank @carolleaman
and also
Andrea Baptiste, CEO Benbria http://www.benbria.com
and also
Andrea Baptiste, CEO Benbria http://www.benbria.com
David thanks for the props!
In addition to a great list and great companies, it’s so fantastic to see so many XYs come out to support the XXs so positively in your comments.
Go Canada!! You set an awesome example to us all.
David thanks for the props!
In addition to a great list and great companies, it’s so fantastic to see so many XYs come out to support the XXs so positively in your comments.
Go Canada!! You set an awesome example to us all.
Wowser, so many great peeps that I forgot on the list. Sorry @carolleaman @lulua @yummymummyclub and others.
Wowser, so many great peeps that I forgot on the list. Sorry @carolleaman @lulua @yummymummyclub and others.
Caroline Kealey – Results Map – http://resultsmap.com/
Caroline Kealey – Results Map – http://resultsmap.com/
Oh yea, and Amy Yee- EventBots
Oh yea, and Amy Yee- EventBots
Great list, David! One more – Amielle Lake, CEO of Tagga in Vancouver – http://tagga.com/platform/about/
Great list, David! One more – Amielle Lake, CEO of Tagga in Vancouver – http://tagga.com/platform/about/
Hard work and dedication made them a great entrepreneur.
http://choosehottubsdirect.com
http://choosehottubsdirect.com/hot-tubs/hot-tub-dealers/dream-maker-spas-portable-spa-hottub-home-spas.html
Thanks so much for including me in this great list – and I love, love, LOVE that it’s as long as it is. Let’s make it longer!!
Thanks so much for including me in this great list – and I love, love, LOVE that it’s as long as it is. Let’s make it longer!!
I luv Toronto for its diversity. I agree that it is what makes it such an interesting city to start a venture. Thank you for including me on the list.
I luv Toronto for its diversity. I agree that it is what makes it such an interesting city to start a venture. Thank you for including me on the list.
Good work naming women entrepreneurs helps put them up as great role models & heroines in the entrepreneurial community. I have been interviewing venture capitalists & women entrepreneurs about the short fall in venture funding for women. I recently interviewed Cindy Gallop, IfWeRanTheWorld, who says it as she sees it & doesn’t hold back. You can view PtI of her interview here http://www.ezebis.com/venture/cindy-gallop-ifwerantheworld/ and PtII http://www.ezebis.com/venture/cindy-gallop-interview-ptii-changing-venture-women/ All these conversations raise awareness of the valuable contribution of women startups. Is there a reason this comment has not been accepted???