With the new initiative, The Big Push accelerator and Disruption Ventures are seeking to offer female-led technology startups with access to expert resources and early stage growth financing. While The two organizations are offering different resources relating to their expertise. the Big Push supports business acceleration by providing support to help startups meet the investment criteria in order to secure venture financing; whereas Disruption Ventures is putting up $500,000 to $2 million in Seed or Series A financing to those startups selected to undergo acceleration with The Big Push.
There is a lack of gender equity in many areas of work, and particularly within the technology sector. This starts early in life with too few female role models of young women to observe, as well as intuitional barriers preventing women from start-up and leading technology-based enterprises. The new initiative aims to help overcome some of the challenges around women starting up in the technology sphere.
READ MORE: Under-represented and under paid: Women in the tech sector
Earlier this year The Big Push announced a series of initiatives designed to help address the low representation of women leading technology firms in Canada. This centered on promoting women technology leaders as role models, plus offering women-led technology firms support. This related to a scheme called “Pitch and Pair”, which matches promising women-led technology startups with The Big Push’s group of experts.
READ MORE: The Big Push to accelerate the growth of women-led tech firms
Discussing the new idea to support female-led technology firms, Sharon Zohar, founder and CEO of The Big Push said: “Providing access to experts who will roll up their sleeves to support a business acceleration is the first step in helping to increase the odds of success for startups. The second step is providing ready access to a source of financing through a fund that was created specifically to remove the barriers to success for women-led technology startups.”
