Startup Women Advocacy Network (SWAN) 2023 Cohort

A curated group of 13 early stage woman-identifying entrepreneurs who advocate and champion the needs of women entrepreneurs from coast to coast to coast.

How it all began

There is a lack of awareness of and storytelling about early stage, woman-identifying entrepreneurs in Canada. As a national convener, we want to connect entrepreneurs with the support they need to help tackle this gap.

In 2022, we launched SWAN with our first cohort of 13 early stage, women-identifying entrepreneurs, each representing a Canadian province and territory. We are thrilled to continue this initiative in 2023 and help champion the needs of women entrepreneurs across Canada. Throughout the year, you’ll learn about each SWAN entrepreneur and their personal entrepreneurship journey. SWAN members will also be invited to participate in exclusive opportunities to help inform change across the country!

View 2022 Cohort

Where you can find them

Our SWAN cohort is made up of one entrepreneur from each Canadian province and territory. Find your SWAN provincial or territorial representative today to see how they can help champion your needs!

Perks of being in SWAN

Curated internally by the Startup Women Program Lead, SWAN is a cohort of 13 early stage, women-identifying entrepreneurs who advocate for the importance of women's entrepreneurship. We also offer support to all of our SWAN representatives throughout the year:

• Quarterly joint virtual “Town Halls” with all SWAN entrepreneurs to connect with and support each other through current business pain points.
• Spotlights showcasing their story with our community and network through our Startup Women podcast and an interview.
• Exclusive access to participate in our Startup Gov roundtables and share their perspectives with government officials.
• Guaranteed spot at a Startup Women workshop of their choosing.
• Grow their network - 2023 SWAN entrepreneurs will connect with our 2022 SWAN cohort.


The faces of SWAN

Meet our 2023 SWAN cohort and get in contact with your local SWAN entrepreneur to see how they can help advocate for your needs!