The future is women-funded. The51 is at the forefront.

The51 is a Financial Feminist™ platform where current and aspiring investors (particularly women* and gender-diverse* individuals), come together to democratize access to capital for women and gender-diverse founders.

By driving capital and commercialisation, The51 builds mutual wealth and social/environmental impact, shares knowledge and experiences and practices intersectional feminism through financial action. Our community of influential feminist investors, innovators, and consumers are building the Financial Feminist™ economy.

(*when we say “women” we mean all individuals who identify as women. Transgender women are women. The51 is built by women for everyone.)

We know we’ve tapped into something significant because our movement, community and impact continues to grow:

Capital Activated*

$47M

Ventures Funded*

35

Community

25,000+

*Includes pre-fund, Fund I + the Food and AgTech Fund.

By connecting the nation-wide movement of women accredited investors, women entrepreneurs and the larger community of voices eager to support them, we’re powering new wealth creation, and bringing about essential social change. 

Meet Our
Founders

**Judy Fairburn**
Co-CEO, Fund Managing Partner

As Co-CEO and Fund Managing Partner of The51 (Financial FeministTM platform and venture fund), Judy is a change-maker with a proven track record of building cutting-edge business ventures.
She currently serves on the boards of VEERUM Inc. (Builders/BDC co-led Series A), deNova (Series A woman-led protein technology), Petronas Canada and MEG Energy as well as the Business Council of Alberta and the Alberta Securities Commission New Economy Advisory Council. She is also an investor / mentor to several women-led AgTech/CleanTech startups (including SomaDetect, Summit Nanotech and Evercloak) and Creative Destruction Lab Agriculture / Energy founders.
Prior to co-founding The51, Judy served on the Global Advisory Council for Emerald Technology Ventures and was board director of Sustainable Development Technology Canada. She was also the first female Board Chair of Alberta Innovates (health, agriculture, clean energy and digital). A pioneer in corporate/entrepreneurial innovation, she co-founded a $100 million cleantech/digital venture fund (Evok Innovations). Her career includes roles as Cenovus Energy’s Chief Digital Officer, EVP Business Innovation, President Environment Opportunity Fund as well as VP-level operations / P&L / technology development roles. Notable corporate investments championed at an early stage include General Fusion (2020 Series E) and DarkVision (2020 exit).
Judy holds an MSc degree (Chemical Engineering), an MBA and Institute of Corporate Directors designation. She is also a 4th generation farm owner, award-winning Creative Destruction Lab mentor, Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, 2013 Clean 16 award winner, and recipient of the 2020 Calgary Influential Women in Business Lifetime Achievement Award.

Shelley Kuipers
Co-CEO, General Partner

Shelley Kuipers is investing in the world she wants to live in. As an activist in business, entrepreneurship and investment, Shelley likes to take on the status quo, and seek out democratized business models and platforms.

Previous to co-founding The51, Shelley founded crowdsourcing company Chaordix and technology and marketing firm, Stormworks. She was also the co-founder of IOVIA, based in London, UK. Shelley also collaboratively runs her family office Adventure Capital, with her partner and two sons. Shelley has had the opportunity to live and work in Canada, US, Germany and the UK, as well as lead global commercialisation efforts across markets in the US, UK/Europe, SE Asia/Australia and Africa.

Shelley has been early-stage investing for more than 20 years. Her investment experience started in oil and gas, but she quickly diversified her investments into the tech sector with a focus on innovation-driven companies across many sectors. To date their family office has made +30 early-stage investments.

Shelley’s most notable investment was Solium, which was acquired by Morgan Stanley in 2019 for $1.1B. Shelley supports many founders, and ventures as an advisor, board observer and director, including Bobbie Racette Founder and CEO of Virtual Gurus.