Toronto, March 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Canada’s innovation ecosystem gathered in Toronto this week for DMZ’s fourth annual Women Innovation Summit, bringing together founders, investors and industry leaders to spotlight women-led companies building the future of technology. The Summit provides founders with the tools to become investor-ready, a national platform to showcase their work and direct access to an ecosystem invested in their success.
At the centre of this year’s Summit, in partnership with Elevate, was a live pitch competition where 10 women-led startups from across Canada took the stage to present their companies. Selected through a national application process, this year’s finalists — Knead Technologies, ClassClown, Haibu Health, Dawn Energy, Athel AI, Quip Medical, Drawbridge, TalentIQ Technologies, Coraltalk and July Health — span sectors including AI-powered readiness intelligence for defence leaders, women’s reproductive health technology and climate tech, underscoring the breadth of impact women founders are driving across Canada’s startup ecosystem.
Introduced this year, selected founders participated in a fundraising bootcamp in the weeks leading up to the Summit, designed to help them become investor-ready, strengthening their narratives, financial models and overall readiness for due diligence and investor conversations.
DMZ Ventures led this year’s investments and is now proceeding to finalize investment terms.
- July Health, a virtual reproductive health clinic providing early diagnosis and preventative care, received $100,000 in investment commitments.
- Knead Technologies, an all-in-one platform that helps organizations reduce food waste, received $50,000 in investment commitments.
- ClassClown, a voice-based AI learning platform that delivers personalized learning at scale, received $50,000 in investment commitments.
- In a surprise announcement, Isabelle Hudon, President and CEO of BDC, presented a $10,000 grant to Haibu Health — named the most courageous company of the event, a reflection of one of BDC’s core values.
“Coming into this, I really felt like an underdog. I have no business background and we hadn’t won a pitch competition before. But I believed in what we’re trying to do, said Julie Mai Founder and CEO of July Health. For the last two years we’ve been bootstrapping, doing the best we could, and now we know our business works. This investment means we can help more Canadians get there a lot faster. It feels exciting, but also relieving that this is finally being recognized.”
“Women founders across Canada are building in some of the most important and fast-moving sectors right now,” said Abdullah Snobar, Executive Director of DMZ and CEO of DMZ Ventures. “The Women Innovation Summit is designed to be a national platform that brings that work to the forefront, connecting founders to the capital, networks and insights they need to scale. As areas like AI, cybersecurity and defence quickly evolve, there is a real opportunity for founders to step in and lead. Our goal this year was to not only spotlight that opportunity, but to help founders understand where they fit and how to move.”
A highlight of the event was a fireside chat with Isabelle Hudon, President and CEO of BDC, who was named DMZ’s 2026 Woman of the Year in recognition of her leadership and her ongoing commitment to expanding access and opportunity for entrepreneurs across Canada. In conversation, Hudon offered a front-row perspective on the moment Canada’s innovation economy is in, speaking about capital flows, shifting global priorities and the rise of sectors like AI and defence as major opportunities for founders. The Summit also featured a panel discussion with women executives exploring how shifting global priorities — including increased investment in cybersecurity, space technologies and systems tied to defence and dual-use technologies — are opening new entry points for startups.
This year’s theme, All In, called for moving beyond dialogue and into action, highlighting a shared responsibility across founders, investors, operators, policymakers and allies to build a more inclusive innovation economy. As Canada enters a new phase of economic and technological growth, the Summit emphasized ensuring women entrepreneurs are not just included, but positioned to lead in the sectors shaping what comes next.
Now in its fourth year, the Women Innovation Summit has become one of Canada’s leading gatherings dedicated to advancing women in innovation. Since launching in 2023, the event has welcomed more than 2,000 attendees, with 40 women founders pitching their companies on the Summit stage.
Beyond the event itself, DMZ’s Women Innovation Programs continue to support women entrepreneurs across Canada. To date, more than 4,200 women founders have been supported through these initiatives, with companies collectively raising over $522 million in capital.
Women founders seeking hands-on, tailored support to take their businesses to the next level can learn more about DMZ’s Women Innovation Programs at dmz.to/wip.
About DMZ
DMZ is a tech incubator and startup ecosystem that fuels entrepreneurship in Canada and beyond. Through its award-winning programs, DMZ empowers founders to scale high-impact ventures, helps students develop entrepreneurial mindsets and equips professionals to thrive in today’s fast-moving economy. By offering tailored support, world-class resources and expansive networks, DMZ nurtures bold ideas, drives business growth and creates global economic impact.
To date, DMZ has supported 2630+ startups in raising $3.08 billion in capital and has created over 25,400 jobs. Headquartered in Toronto, DMZ operates a global network of hubs spanning 15+ countries, enabling entrepreneurs to access diverse markets, collaborate internationally and drive global innovation.
- DMZ’s Women Innovation Summit backs women founders with $210,000 in funding as new sectors come into focus