Foundations in Gender Lens Investing

A female founder, impact investor, business leader, international citizen and mother, Caroline brings multiple, complementary perspectives to co-leading Spring. Prior to Spring, her experience included building an internationally acclaimed social enterprise developing renewable energy solutions for off-grid households, working for UNICEF in Laos and growing CPG brands in the UK and Ireland.

My role is to work closely with ecosystem partners to develop innovative equity investment models that support Canadian women-led businesses, enabling them to grow and create lasting impact. Launched in the spring of 2023, the $100 million Thrive Lab supports and invests in high-potential women-led businesses at the earliest stages of development – where the capital gap is greatest.

In her role at Audaxa Ventures, Raissa backs climate and health tech companies led by women and non-binary founders, especially those often left out of traditional VC. She invests in real solutions, built by people who’ve had to navigate systems not built for them. She contributes to cleantech and equity-focused investment committees and collaborates with orgs working to close capital gaps and build something better.

Erin Alexander is an Entrepreneur-in Residence and Certified Investoready© Trainer and Advisor at WeBC. Her focus is to help women raise more in investment by mastering Q&A conversations with investors. Her mission is to empower gender-diverse entrepreneurs by helping them navigate the funding landscape and secure the resources needed to grow their businesses. Erin is also a member of Women’s Equity Lab Vancouver.

A seasoned strategic advisor and angel investor supporting startups across North America. With a background in scaling businesses and leading transformative growth, he actively champions diversity in tech and mentors emerging entrepreneurs through inclusive investing initiatives. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for QueerTech.

Rachel is the Founder and a lead advisor at Femtech Canada, an advocacy organization for women working in the innovation space. She is also the Founder & CEO of Hyivy, a femtech startup with the mission to transform women’s health care with modern innovations.

Sabina is a finance professional with 18 years of experience who is committed to supporting women-led ventures. She is currently an impact investor who invests in early stage ventures in Canada in the areas of technology, education, agriculture, healthcare, climate and financial services. She has worked with 2500+ impact-driven women led businesses in Africa, Asia and North America, moving capital and shifting power. She also serves on the board of The Equality Fund where she champions gender lens investing.

Kore Global is an impact advisory firm specialising in gender equality and social inclusion. Emily has advised some of the largest impact investors, bilateral funders and private foundations on large-scale, national and multi-country initiatives. She is also an LP with WEL Vancouver and holds an MA in Gender and Development.

Roxanne Leduc is the Founder and CEO of Cap Inclusive, a consulting firm that helps investors and executive teams build inclusive, high-performing organizations. She is also the creator of the Femtech Breakfast Club, a community uniting investors and founders to advance innovation in women’s health. With deep experience advising funds and leading executive programs, Roxanne brings a unique perspective on inclusion as a driver of performance. She also serves on the board of Canadian Women in VC, where she champions gender equity across the investment ecosystem.