SWITCH – W Fund

ByMaurice

Description:

The W Fund is structured to make the biggest impact possible on as many levels as possible, including:

  1. directly investing in outstanding companies with strong potential for venture returns and led by innovative and obsessed leaders from underrepresented background;

  2. normalizing portfolio company diversity and inclusion of employees, workplace, board, advisors and investors;

  3. establishing VC-in-Residence, carry-holding investment positions to open a path to VC for exceptional people who would otherwise not have that access;

  4. diversifying their Limited Partners, providing them with investing, operating and leadership skills-building programming, and equipping them to be inclusive in activities outside our fund.

Comments on Funding:

Funding will take the form of venture capital.

Eligibility:

Applicants must:

  • be founders who are creating technology products for the masses;
  • own primarily seed stage companies, and occasionally pre-Seed and series A;
  • be either:
    a) women (70% of the investments will be in women-led startups);
    b) or come from a traditionally underestimated group, such as race, ethnicity, LGBTQ+ socioeconomic background, nationality, age, or location;
  • propose solutions focused specifically on increasing diversity, equity and inclusion;
  • propose solutions focused on serving traditionally underserved customer groups.

W Fund will invest primarily in FinTech, EdTech, Health and well-being, AI and Big Data (with some caveats!), Sustainability and Environmental Tech, AgTech, LegalTech.

Applications Steps:

Other Things to Note:

W Fund plans to make 2-3 investments each quarter.

About the author

Maurice

Maurice (Moe) Muise learned the ins-and-outs of government while an employee of the Government of Canada in Ottawa for 10 years. His current focus is helping small businesses in Ontario to identify and maximize government grants to grow their business. Click here to learn more about Moe’s background and how he can help your business.

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