Meet the HerStory 2023 Winners
That’s a wrap on the 3rd annual HerStory Story-Pitch Competition, and let us say: What. An. Event!
Of the 30 finalists who shared their stories up on stage, our panel of Capital Champions chose 5 companies to invest in. It certainly wasn’t an easy task with such strong storytelling and strong ideas from these female founders and co-founders from diverse and unique backgrounds.
So without further ado, let us introduce you to our winners and get to know them, their businesses, and their thoughts on financial feminism better:
Kelise Williams
UpRow
With more than 10 years of experience in tech sales, entrepreneurship, and marketing, Kelise is a proven leader with a track record of driving revenue and growth. Her innovative strategies and entrepreneurial spirit have earned her numerous awards and accolades, including being named among the top 20 startups in Edmonton in the Startup TNT Investment Summit and winning the BIPOC Women in Tech Pitch Competition. Kelise is also a featured speaker at the Caribbean Tech Summit 2023. Before founding UpRow, Kelise worked in the security industry as a polygraph examiner for 6 years, where she gained valuable experience in relationship management, customer psychology, and conflict resolution. Her entrepreneurial journey began with the launch of a successful e-commerce store, where she honed her skills in branding, digital marketing, and e-commerce strategy. Kelise holds a Master's degree in Environmental Science and Management. She is a sought-after speaker and mentor, regularly sharing her insights and experiences with aspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders. Kelise is a true visionary who is constantly pushing the boundaries of what's possible and driving innovation to solve real-world problems. Her leadership and entrepreneurial spirit are an inspiration to all who work with her.
UpRow is revolutionizing the immigration industry with its virtual marketplace and social media platform. By seamlessly connecting immigrants with immigration consultants, lawyers, settlement services, schools, language tutors, and career coaches, UpRow has created a comprehensive ecosystem that addresses the diverse needs of individuals going through the immigration process.
On “financial feminism,” Kelise said: “In my opinion, financial feminism aims to eliminate the obstacles that women face when it comes to accessing financial resources. It is a movement that strives to break down the negative stereotypes surrounding women's abilities to manage money and exert financial power.”
On The51, she said: “This term represents the percentage of women in the world. It signifies the immense potential and influence that women possess. As nurturers, we possess strength and capabilities that can make a profound impact. We have the capacity to shape decisions that shape the way humanity lives and operates in this world.”
Aamna Zia
Fuse Financial
Aamna Zia is the Co-Founder and CEO of Fuse Financial, a platform that brings together banking, payments, and financial tools to help small business owners grow their business. Aamna has a wealth of experience in growing businesses, having previously served as a founding employee and VP of Operations and Finance at a cybersecurity startup. There, she was responsible for sales growth from $100K to over $1 million, while also raising over $3 million. Aamna holds a Chartered Professional Accountant designation. When she is not working, she enjoys her time hiking in the mountains, performing at open mics, and empowering women and visible minorities.
Fuse Financial is relentlessly bringing a new way of managing business finances to Canadians. With their all-in-one platform for business banking, invoicing, bookkeeping, and payroll, Fuse Financial is cleaning up the messy management of finances.
On “financial feminism,” Aamna said: “Financial feminism is all about creating a level playing field and ensuring that everyone gets a fair shot at living a fulfilling life. It's about embracing equality, so that everyone feels acknowledged, valued, and empowered.”
On The51, she said: “The51 is a refreshing and proactive force in the world of venture capital, actively channeling its resources—whether that's funding, connections, or guidance—towards deserving women. By doing so, they're paving the way for a future that thrives on diverse perspectives and unique visions.”
Hoda Soboh
Nyah Health
A combined 25+ years in business, both in the corporate space as well as a successful entrepreneur, has led Hoda to this point in her life and her career to proudly declare herself an innovative disrupter! Hoda relishes in the growing influence and position of women in business, because it’s about damn time! As CEO of the femtech startup Nyah Health, she is privileged to be working alongside an exceptional team of co-founding women to deliver the first full suite virtual menopause health platform to the over 5 million Canadian women in menopause today.
Hoda is pumped for this journey, having recently sold a successful software company, Intellimedia, that she co-founded and co-built. During her 15+ years at Ceridian Canada, she held a number of executive positions in Quality, Strategy, Customer Experience, and Account Management. Never letting the glass ceiling keep her down, it took much determination and grit to work her way up, eventually leading a global strategy to transform the customer experience. With her ever useful BA in political science (which comes in handy when needing to discuss the theory of Liberalism), and her myriad of experiences, Hoda has learned that excellence takes work, innovation means taking risks, and success is addicting!
Nyah Health is modern menopause care for women by women. Launching fall 2023, Nyah will be the first provider of virtual menopause health assessments by regulated and certified Menopause Health Practitioners, combined with a digital therapeutics platform that provides wellness strategies to manage symptoms and improve health.
On “financial feminism,” Hoda said: “What would the world be today if we had equal opportunity all along. What inventions might have come, what progress might we have achieved. For me, financial feminism is unhindered potential; and in potential, there is hope.”
On The51, she said: “There are likely women alive today that would have been living when women were granted the right to vote a mere 105 years ago. The51 and the work they do to me is akin to the suffrage movement. Equal access to capital is just as fundamental as the ballot we hold, and someday the women of The51 and others fighting this fight will be written about with deep gratitude.”
Liz MacRae
Village Wellth
Hailing from the East Coast of Canada, “support local” was engrained in Liz from an early age. Raised in an entrepreneurial family she watched her father work from their basement managing the sales and shipments of PEI potatoes to grocery chains throughout the Caribbean with nothing more than a fax machine and a landline. When Liz realized she wanted to pursue the entrepreneurial path she and her husband bought an early-stage franchise in 2012 which they sold in 2017. What stuck with her was the tumultuous experience of selling the franchise, as she learned how challenging the process was to grow and sell a business. In hindsight they should have bought an existing business… Today, Liz is a Certified Exit Planning Advisor & Co-Founder of the Calgary based fintech startup: Village Wellth, an acquisition management platform designed to help people buy businesses. She has acquired and exited 2 companies over the past 10 years. From these experiences Village Wellth was born to help more people access the world of acquisitions and help them buy great businesses. Liz is an active speaker on the topic of Exit Planning and Acquisitions. She has spoken to groups with EO, ATB, TEC-Canada, Community Futures, Chamber of Commerce, Business Link, John Molson School of Business (Concordia), and commonly guest spots for various business podcasts. She is a member of good standing with the Exit Planning Institute and is co-President of the Calgary M & A Club.
Village Wellth connects buyers to business opportunities, helps build buyer credibility, and gives them access to expert guidance along the way. Putting their arms around the buyer, Village Wellth gives them a voice in a competitive marketplace, educating them along the way and streamlining the buying process so they can find what they're looking for, faster.
On “financial feminism,” Liz said: “For me, financial feminism is: knowing I belong in the financial space, that women are welcomed, regardless of their knowledge level, without judgement or prejudice and feel they have a seat at the table to advance themselves forward, from whatever point they are starting the financial journey from.”
On The51, she said: “The51 to me is a movement that lifts women up to be aware of their current position in finance and to stand together in supporting each other in advancing that position.”
Leilani Mustillo
Animal HealthLink
Originally from Calgary, Leilani has been caring for animals as a Registered Veterinary Technologist (RVT) for the past 15 years, working in specialty and emergency medicine in both nursing and management roles. Her love for mentoring and training new veterinary professionals led her to spend 9 years as a College Instructor in the Animal Health Department. Leilani is committed to sustainability of the veterinary profession and advancement of RVTs and in October of 2020, she became CEO and Co-Founder of Animal HealthLink, a veterinary telehealth company created to relieve the extreme pressure veterinary staff are facing and in turn promote sustainability of veterinary practices and improve patient access to care. Since launching her business, Leilani continues to make significant contributions to the veterinary community by driving innovation and positively impacting the veterinary profession as a whole. Leilani is an active Board Member of the Canadian Veterinary Virtual Care Association (CVVCA), a non-profit organization which supports the advancement of virtual care through the creation of standards of care & best practices and education of the veterinary community and the public. In addition, Leilani is Council Member for the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association (ABVMA), a regulatory body that ensures the highest standards of veterinary practice in the province. Through her involvement in these organizations, she has demonstrated her dedication to staying informed about industry trends, advocating for animal welfare, and promoting the highest standards of veterinary care.
Created with the vision to improve the lives of veterinary professionals and the patients they serve, Animal HealthLink (AHL) provides remote triage, aka "TeleTriage" services for veterinary practices. They act as an extension of veterinary practices and provide professional, competent, and compassionate service to veterinary clients. AHL TeleTriage service is designed by and for veterinary professionals to integrate with primary care, emergency, and referral facilities.
On “financial feminism,” Leilani said: “Financial Feminism means empowering women to take space in the financial world.”
On The51, she said: “The51 is a supportive sisterhood stepping up to the plate to change the world for the better through their Financial Feminist economy. I could not have asked for a better group of mentors and advisors in my new journey as an entrepreneur and I feel so comfortable going to them for advice and sharing my struggles.”
Cheers to these women—and all the finalists—making history at HerStory!
Again, we extend our gratitude to everyone involved in making this year’s competition a success: our Event Sponsors, Alberta Innovates and KPMG; our Capital Champions, Innovate Calgary, Bluesky Equities, The51 Food and AgTech Fund, and The51; and our Ecosystem Partners, Inovia, McRock Capital, Tacit Edge, Osler, and Raven.
If you’re already excited about 2024 and want to be among the first founders notified about the next HerStory competition, you can add your name to the waitlist here.
Until next year!
*Venture Winners’ awards are subject to due diligence.