2023 Women Led Top Founders
Women led startups receive less than 3% of venture capital investments. Despite this, studies show that #investinginwomen yields higher returns on average. To get more funding moving into women led, impact-driven companies, our TELUS Women Led Impact Investor Challenge empowers aspiring and accredited impact investors to invest in companies that align with their values and target returns.
Our team has curated a powerful cohort of founders, featuring a diverse set of companies that are taking on critical issues. Here they are:
Better Basics
We are on a mission to reduce plastic and toxins in the personal care industry. We make essential home and self care products that are better for you + the planet.
- Samantha Rayner, Co-Founder and CEO
- Caitlin Rushton, Co-Founder and COO
- Consumer Sector
- Pre-Seed Stage
- SDGs – 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, 14: Life Below Water
- National Impact
Conquer Experience
Applying our years of digital platform development and game design to high stakes Healthcare Training & Simulation.
- Angela Robert Co-Founder & CEO
- Health Sector
- Seed Stage
- SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
- Global Impact
Cove Neurosciences
Cove is a software platform for research acceleration that applies novel and scalable analysis tools to translate brain science data into functionally meaningful information and inform novel therapies for neurological and psychiatric disorders.
- Dr. Nardin Samuel, Co-Founder & CEO
- Health Sector
- Seed Stage
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being
- Regional Impact
HerbiaEra
HerbiaEra simplifies and optimizes sustainable farming. Our solutions highly reduce environmental impact by replacing unsustainable substrates widely used by farmers.
- Cindy Romero Luarca, Founder and CEO
- Agtech Sector
- Seed Stage
- SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 5: Gender Equality, SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 13: Climate Action, SDG 15: Life on Land, SDG 17: Partnerships, SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being
- Global Impact
HomeBAnx 3D
HomeBAnx is dedicated to creating 1 million affordable homes, focusing on empowering Black, Indigenous women, and the 2SLGBTQ community.
- Kay Valley, Founder & CEO
- Pre-Seed Stage
- SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being, SDG 5: Gender Equality, SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG 13: Climate Action, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, SDG 17: Partnerships
- National Impact
Hyon Software
From asset purchase through to end of life, Hyon uses proprietary technology to track the environmental impact of sustainable asset management.
- Kristy Ehman, Founder & CEO
- Circular Economy Sector
- Seed Stage
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
- Global Impact
Invisible-Care
We use technology based prompts that facilitate two-way communication, frees up valuable clinical care resources for those higher needs clients, and provides care to those that do not need hands on support.
- Jennifer Berg-Carnegie, Co-Founder & CEO
- Health Sector
- Pre-Seed Stage
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being, SDG 5: Gender Equality, SDG 17: Partnerships
- National Impact
Juno Technologies
Juno develops a compact, discreet and wearable device that alleviates menstrual pain quickly – for a lasting relief.
- Co-Founded by Nanette Sene (CEO) and Lynn Doughane (COO)
- Health Sector
- Pre-Seed Stage
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being, SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
- Global Impact
Knead Technologies
Knead Tech is a software company that enables simple food recovery through a white-label app to streamline food redirection, increase pounds of food rescued and ensure safe handling practices to meet the global challenge of food waste.
- Lourdes Juan, Founder & CEO
- Pre-Seed Stage
- SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 13: Climate Action
- Global Impact
Lite-1
We are revolutionizing the colour industry by introducing a novel scalable technology to manufacture 100% sustainable dyes grown from microorganisms in a closed circular system.
- Co-founded by Roya Aghighi (CEO) and Sarah Graham (CINO)
- Cleantech Sector
- Pre-Seed Stage
- SDG 5: Gender Equality, SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 13: Climate Action, SDG 14: Life Below Water, SDG 15: Life on Land, SDG 17: Partnerships
- Global Impact
Marlow
Marlow is a new Gen Z period care brand that has created the first-ever lubricated tampon for smoother and more comfortable insertion.
- Nadia Ladak, Co-founder and CEO
- Consumer Sector
- Seed Stage
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being, SDG 5: Gender Equality, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
- Global Impact
Nura Medical
We are aiming to reduce medication errors in emergency medicine.
- Georgia Powell, Co-Founder and CEO
- Health Sector
- Seed Stage
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 17: Partnerships
- Global Impact
Poket
Poket is an intelligent field data collection and surveying software that can be configured for any type of field-data collection.
- Co-Founded by Naba Siddiqui
- Seed Stage
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being, SDG 5: Gender Equality, SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG 13: Climate Action, SDG 15: Life on Land, SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
- Global Impact
Teem Fish Monitoring
We are a worldwide leader in delivering technology-driven data and solutions that empower informed decision-making within the fisheries sector, serving industry stakeholders, regulatory bodies, and local communities.
- Amanda Barney, Founder & CEO
- Series A Stage
- SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 14: Life Below Water, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Global Impact
Sonaro
We are on a mission to disrupt the ‘status quo’ for stroke risk prediction by eliminating errors in 2D ultrasound examination and subjective medical imaging interpretation.
- Dr. Karina Gasbarrino, Co-Founder and COO
- Health Sector
- Seed Stage
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being, SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
- Global Impact
RetinaLogik
With decades of experience in machine learning, virtual reality, and ophthalmology, RetinaLogik is on a mission to prevent vision loss for millions by making smarter vision screening more accessible for everyone, everywhere.
- Julia St. Amand, Co-Founder & COO
- Health Sector
- Pre-Seed Stage
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being
- Global Impact
Interested in joining the INvestor cohort?
apply here