Calling all women* and gender-diverse founders/co-founders!
We are back with HerStory 2022, a storytelling pitch competition that invites women and gender-diverse entrepreneurs to tell a panel of Capital Champions who they are, how they came to their idea and why investing in them will bring innovation, value and impact: both to their industry and to the future of more equitable access to Canadian capital.
Brought to you by Alberta Innovates and The51
[*An important note about our language: When we say “women” we mean all individuals who identify as women. Transgender women are women, and all of our initiatives aimed at women are inclusive of trans women. While our main audience is women we also champion the voices of gender-diverse* individuals looking to amplify their voices in the world of investing and entrepreneurship. *When we say gender-diverse, we mean: Folks who don’t fit into the traditional binary of woman and man. This includes nonbinary people, 2-spirited people, gender-fluid people, and all others who identify as gender-diverse.]
When?
Saturday, June 4, 2022
Where?
Inventures Banff
Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
405 Spray Ave, Banff, AB, Canada T1L 1J4
How do I participate?
Applications are now closed for HerStory 2022.
Add your name to our waitlist and get notified about the next HerStory competition.
Questions? Please connect with us at herstory@the51.com.
Why a story-pitch format?
Studies show what women entrepreneurs and investors have known for decades: traditional pitch competitions consistently fail women. (And, because the research on gender-diverse founders is basically non-existent, it’s safe to say this group is underserved as well.) HerStory is quite literally flipping the script. By leading with narrative and encouraging a relatable, honest and feminist approach to information, connection and business building, we’re challenging the traditional pitch model and spurring innovation. HerStory amplifies a diversity of voices and connects modern entrepreneurs with investors, increasing the likelihood of women accessing funding and growing their pathways to success.
Who is participating in HerStory 2022?
Coming soon…
Can I watch HerStory 2022 live?
Yes! Everyone is invited to watch HerStory 2022 live through our virtual stream.
While in-person attendance is reserved for those individuals who are sharing their story-pitches, a virtual live stream will be set up for anyone to watch for free.
Please register to watch the virtual live stream in June here:
Or, if you’re in Calgary and want some company to watch HerStory 2022, our friends at Platform Calgary are hosting a Watch Party!
Thank you to the HerStory Capital Champions and Ecosystem Sponsors.
We couldn’t do it without you!
HerStory 2022 Event Partner
HerStory 2022 Capital Champions
HerStory 2022 Ecosystem Sponsors
HerStory FAQ:
Who should apply for HerStory?
If you’re a startup founded or co-founded by a woman-identifying person and/or have women and gender-diverse individuals in equitable positions on the cap table, and your company is based/headquartered in Canada, we invite you to submit an application.
We believe in advancing women and gender-diverse people from different backgrounds in entrepreneurship in any industry, but here are a few sectors we’re particularly interested in:
The Future is Femtech
Innovating our Food Systems
Everything Enterprise
Direct to Consumer & Fintech
Digital CleanTech
What stage should my business be at to apply for HerStory?
Ventures in the Pre-seed to Series A stages are invited to apply to HerStory. These types of companies may find themselves at stages such as:
Seed/Early Stage – The startup begins the transition of the company into a legal entity with steps toward product development, patent filing, and establishing customers.
Scaling/Growth Stage – The business is functioning in accordance with a well-defined business model and is looking to expand to address larger market opportunities.
What is the format of HerStory 2022?
HerStory 2022 will consist of 30 founders sharing their stories in front of a panel of Capital Champions who will make an investment in the HerStory 2022 Venture Winner, while the HerStory 2022 First Runner-up Venture will receive a Commercialization Sprint.
Each founder will have 4 minutes on stage to share their story-pitch. They may share their story in any way they choose—pitch deck or no pitch deck, props, no props, it’s up to you—just make sure it’s easy to set up/take down and doesn’t take away from your 4 minutes on stage! Once all 30 ventures have had the opportunity to share their stories, the Capital Champions will have time to deliberate before selecting the HerStory 2022 Venture Winner and the HerStory 2022 First Runner-up Venture.
(Winners will be announced following the live event at the Inventures Banff Luncheon)
Because this event is constrained to two and a half hours total, there will not be time available for questions and answers between the Capital Champions and participants; however, Capital Champions will have an opportunity to submit questions to the participants prior to the live event.
How will participants be selected?
Startups will be selected from the pool of applicants with consideration given to each applicant’s creativity, potential, traction and team/people. From all those who apply, a list of 30 entrepreneurs curated by The51 and our panel of Capital Champions will be selected to compete. Successful candidates will be notified via email no later than the first week of May 2022.
What does the HerStory winner win?
Prizes and awards for the HerStory 2022 winners are as follows:
HerStory 2022 Venture Winner receives a $51,000 investment. This equity-based investment is subject to due diligence.
HerStory 2022 First Runner-Up Venture receives a Commercialization Sprint conducted by The51 team members and/or our partners (value of $5,000).
What type of investment does the HerStory winner receive?
The HerStory 2022 Venture Winner receives an investment of $51,000 that is subject to due diligence. This investment is an equity-based investment where The51 is not the lead investor in the round.
What if my company has two women co-founders who want to participate?
We love to hear that! However, due to constraints on time and capacity of the in-person event, we recommend that only one co-founder participates in the story-pitch competition in Banff, Alberta on June 4, 2022.
What if my company has received investment from The51 before am I eligible to participate in HerStory 2022?
To ensure we can provide investment to as many diverse founders as possible, we ask that if you have previously received investment from The51, you do not apply to HerStory 2022.
Do I have to participate in person for HerStory 2022?
Yes. We ask that selected participants for HerStory 2022 be able to travel to Banff, Alberta to participate in person for HerStory 2022 on June 4, 2022. Hotel accommodations for Friday night (June 3) will be provided and airline travel discounts are available for those who need them.
Questions?
Please connect with us at herstory@the51.com.
**A note on our event name, HerStory: At The51 our main audience is people who identify as women, which is why the name of many of our initiatives includes language that is aimed at women, like “HerStory;” however, financial feminism (like all forms of feminism) is about gender equality for all genders. This is why we are inclusive of all gender-diverse individuals and anyone who is underrepresented in this space and needs their voice amplified.
We are always learning and growing. If you have any questions or concerns about who is included in HerStory, please feel free to reach out to us at herstory@the51.com.
