Cobourg, ON – StrikeUP’s annual digital conference for women entrepreneurs is joining forces with the National Aboriginal Capital Corporations Association (NACCA) and the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) to continue amplifying the stories of Indigenous entrepreneurs from across Canada.

“StrikeUP’s Indigenous Program has unlocked a new door of opportunity for Indigenous leaders to gather, learn, and connect with one another,” said Wendy Curtis, Executive Director of NCFDC. “We are pleased to collaborate with NACCA and BDC to promote further growth of the program at StrikeUP 2023 and extend our reach within Canada’s Indigenous communities.”

The StrikeUP Indigenous Program launched earlier this year in March, offering the opportunity for Indigenous women entrepreneurs to convene and share their decision-making processes, values and cultural traditions that were driven into building their business. The program’s powerful momentum will continue into StrikeUP 2023 and will feature Indigenous business leaders including Bobbie Racette, CEO of Virtual Gurus, Patrice Mousseau, CEO of Satya Organics, and Nicole McLaren, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Raven Reads Business.

“NACCA is dedicated to increasing the number of Indigenous women entrepreneurs accessing financing through our network,” said Shannin Metatawabin, CEO of NACCA. “Indigenous women are leading the way on how to build sustainable, thriving businesses that tackle many of the world’s environmental and social problems we face today. Our Indigenous Women Entrepreneurs Program launched in 2022 to break down barriers by providing microloans, grants, and mentors to Indigenous women so they can continue to have positive impacts in their communities. We are thrilled to partner with StrikeUP and BDC and applaud their commitments to uplifting Indigenous women entrepreneurs at this year’s event.”

“At BDC, we are committed to building more inclusive prosperity in Canada by supporting the creation of diverse, innovative businesses,” said Laura Didyk, Vice President, Client Diversity. “Today, less than 5% of the Canadian tech workforce is Indigenous. Working with StrikeUP and NACCA, we are excited to help bridge this gap, by offering a workshop for Indigenous women entrepreneurs on how to build more sustainable businesses using technology while maintaining their values and connection to their culture and community.”

To ensure Indigenous entrepreneurs have access to programming tailored for their business needs, StrikeUP will continue its ongoing efforts with NACCA, and welcome further support from BDC, to help strengthen our shared mission in providing an inclusive, safe, and welcoming space for diverse women to come together.

StrikeUP 2023 is supported by the Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario’s (FedDev Ontario) delivery of the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES) Ecosystem Fund.

About StrikeUP

StrikeUP is Canada’s flagship digital conference uniting women entrepreneurs and the women entrepreneurship ecosystem, with a united vision of equity and inclusive economic growth through entrepreneurship. Founded by Northumberland CFDC and presented in partnership with The Scotiabank Women Initiative ® and Export Development Canada, StrikeUP 2023 will showcase the diversity and ambition of Canada’s women entrepreneurs through an accessible program focused on growth, funding, networking, digital adoption and global opportunities. Find out more about StrikeUP’s mission, vision, and community at strikeup.ca

About FedDev Ontario

For more than 12 years, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, has worked to advance and diversify the southern Ontario economy through funding opportunities and business services that support innovation and growth in Canada’s most populous region. The Agency has delivered impressive results, which can be seen in southern Ontario businesses that are creating innovative technologies, improving their productivity, growing their revenues, and in the economic advancement of communities across the region. Learn more about the impacts the Agency is having in southern Ontario by exploring our pivotal projects.

About the Government of Canada’s Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES)

The Government of Canada’s WES is a greater than $6-billion investment that aims to increase women-owned businesses’ access to the financing, talent, networks and expertise they need to start up, scale up and access new markets. WES initiatives include the Women Entrepreneurship Loan Fund (WELF), the WES Ecosystem Fund and the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH). Find out more at ised.ca.

Press and Media Inquiries

For interviews and further information contact: 
Victoria Pichler 
vpichler@ncfdc.ca