
An exclusive business delegation of Female Founders of Swiss Tech Scale-ups to meet with potential partners and investors in Canada in 2022
Switzerland Global Enterprise together with the Swiss Business Hub Canada are proud to announce the launch of the application process for Swiss scale-ups led by female founders and co-founders. The program is by invite-only and the selection process is driven by the attractiveness of the scale-ups to the Canadian ecosystem. Due to the exclusive nature of the program, it is limited to 6 participants only.
Key elements of this business mission are pre-arranged in-person meetings with:
- Major Canadian companies looking for partnerships with Swiss startups
- Strategic Investor meetings
- High-profile networking with major ecosystem players
- Potential client introductions
- Canadian market entry exploration
Why a women and technology focused delegation?
Even though women are increasingly working in leadership roles, they still encounter complex challenges spurred by gender biases. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the issue. Women entrepreneurs often face issues with inequitable access to finance, a lack of high-caliber mentorship and support networks and pervasive gender stereotypes, which continue to negatively impact their growth.
While there is definitely room for improvement, there are some examples of successful female business leaders in Switzerland and Canada, notably in the tech industry.
- In Switzerland about 14.5% of tech companies are founded by women
- A recent Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub study identified that of the 7 Canadian unicorns in 2020, women made up approximately a quarter of their leadership: 23 women hold a position of Vice President or higher out of a combined 91 senior roles.
- Both countries have women entrepreneurs increasingly backing other female founders financially and through formal/informal support groups.
In this context, the goal of this business mission is to bring together a diverse mix of female and non-binary entrepreneurs from both countries to not only engage with each other, but amplify their success by finding opportunities for collaboration, build network and expand business internationally.
Intro
Information
Date |
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iCal | Download |
Target audience | Female and non-binary entrepreneurs and women in leadership positions from technology start-ups and SMEs who are ready to explore opportunities in the North American market. |
Organizer | S-GE and the Swiss Business Hub Canada |
Event language |
English |
Registration deadline |
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Pricing
CHF 2’990 + taxes per participant
Accommodation and flight (international + domestic) costs to be paid separately by each participant.
Please see below an estimation of costs:
- Accommodation for 5 days CHF 1’500
- Domestic flights CHF 300
- International flights CHF 1’800
Indicative Program
Indicative Program
Pre-Arrival
Wednesday, May 18, 2022
• Virtual Meeting to introduce all participants to each other
• Overview of final program
• Presentation on how do business in Canada
Sunday, May 29, 2022
• Arrival in Montreal
Monday, May 30, 2022
• Meetings with relevant ecosystem partners
• Customized B2B Meetings (potential clients, investors, market partners, peer companies etc.)
• Networking Reception at Consulate General of Switzerland
Tuesday, May 31, 2022
• Visit of accelerators / incubators / innovation hubs
• Customized B2B Meetings / meeting with investor groups
• Evening flight to Toronto
Wednesday, June 1, 2022
• Meetings with relevant ecosystem partners
• Customized B2B Meetings (potential clients, investors, market partners, peer companies, etc.)
• Social evening and networking with women led ecosystem enablers
Thursday, June 2, 2022
• Customized B2B Meetings (potential clients, investors, market partners, peer companies etc.)
• Visit of accelerators / incubators / innovation hubs
• Meetings / potential pitch with investor groups
End of program
More information in the flyer below.
Submitting interest is non-binding and will result in an invitation for a personal interview with the organizing team.