The BIPOC Women in Tech Pitch Competition aims to support BIPOC Women founders by providing pitch coaching, access to capital, and facilitating networking. Participants submit information about their companies and then a short list of the top 10 is identified by the judges. Those individuals then submit a video recording of their pitches from which the top 6 pitches are chosen. The top 6 will receive additional one on one coaching and pitch to a sold-out crowd of potential investors and innovation supporters on April 5th for a chance to win cash prizes.
After reviewing some amazing submissions to the BIPOC Women in Tech Pitch Competition, our judges had to make some tough decisions on who should go to the finals.
“It was exciting to see 23 applicants for our first BIPOC Women’s Pitch event. It highlights the demand for more opportunities for diverse women tech founders having the opportunity to pitch and showcase their companies. It was great to see the diversity in the types of problems they are solving and their unique technological solutions to these problems. BIPOC women founders are leveraging their unique experiences and perspectives to build their value propositions within a competitive market. Being an entrepreneur is hard and BIPOC women are working diligently to grow and scale their ventures. Pitch events and activities like these help support them on their journey” says Jerome Morgan, Senior Innovation Manager and project lead for the BIPOC Rural Tech Founders event series.
Congratulations to our six finalists who will be pitching at the BIPOC Women in Tech Pitch Competition on April 5:
- Alicia Nahmad Vazquez, MI Toolbox>>
- Kajal Dattani, VOTO>>
- Kelise Williams, UpRow>>
- Prasanthi Naidoo, Joberfer.com>>
- Ranique Mclaughlin, Hidden Gemz>>
- Sheena Virmani, LEWK>>
This is the second event of the BIPOC Rural Tech Founders event series and is proudly hosted by Innovate Calgary in partnership with Calgary Innovation Coalition, Black Business Ventures Association, Platform Calgary, Mindfuel, Catapult Calgary, Edmonton Unlimited, Black Canadian Women in Action, The 51, Haskayne School of Business, Immigrant Education Society, Alberta Black Stakeholders for Social Economic Collaborative, Calgary Catholic Immigration Society, Start Up TNT and Rainforest Alberta.
Thank you to our sponsors
