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Ready to grow?

If it’s time to grow your agri-food business but, like many women, BIPOC, and gender diverse entrepreneurs, you worry about the challenges and barriers you could face in finding financing – this program provides you with the insight, know-how, and resources you need.

Check Your Eligibility

Be Venture-Capital Ready

Work ON your business instead of IN your business

The Small Scale Food Processor Association (SSFPA) has identified the challenges women face when seeking venture capital. Funded through the Women’s Enterprise Strategy, SSFPA is offering the Venture-Capital Ready program. Through this program you will be supported by industry specialists who will prepare you for your specific challenges in seeking investment, create your pitch strategy and deck, and have the opportunity to present to potential venture-capital Investors.

Learn More About the SSFPA

Women make up 51% of the population in Canada, yet receive only 4% of all Venture Capital

~Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, 2022

Ready to Start?

We are excited to team up with you and provide the support you need to take your amazing agri-food business to the next level! The first important step is to assess your eligibility for the Venture-Capital Ready program.

Are you eligible?

This program is free for all participants.

This Program is right for you if:

  • You are a woman producing an agri-food or beverage product, or have innovative agri-food research ready for commercialization
  • You are incorporated
  • You are ready for trading and can meet increased demand with additional resources or investment
  • You are preparing to seek external capital to scale production, distribution, or market reach
  • You are prepared to dedicate approximately 14 hours a week to complete this program

How the Program Works

Are you eligible?

Answer our simple eligibility questions to assess if you’re Venture-Capital Ready. If you aren’t, that’s okay, we’ll direct you to alternative resources that could help you take the next steps in your business. Once eligible, you’ll be directed on the next steps in our program.

Program Learning

Complete our 8 module, 10-week Venture-Capital Ready program. This mandatory program, with themed sessions by subject-matter experts, will help you to learn about Investor-focused Business plans, Crafting your Pitch, Understanding Financing Options, Talking to Bankers & Investors, Financial Readiness, Due Diligence & Legal Basics. Expect to invest between 5-10 hours per week, between live and recorded sessions, coaching opportunities, and learning resources.

Pitch Practice

Develop your pitch deck, then present your pitch to your peer group of other female founders to give and receive feedback.

Pitch Party*

Finally, join a pitch party to deliver a confident, clear, investor-grade pitch and have the opportunity to engage investors with clarity and purpose. * This program does NOT guarantee venture capital, only the opportunity to prepare you and your business for investment.

Venture-Capital Ready: Investment Training for Women Entrepreneurs is a Small Scale Food Processor Association initiative. With our many partners, we have created a Canada-wide program that trains BIPOC, gender diverse, rural, and otherwise marginalized women in the agri-food space to get financing, improve the networks and expertise they need. With this training, they will be READY to present their scale-up plan to interested investors. We are grateful to the Government of Canada’s Women Entrepreneurship Strategy for the funding support that made this program possible.

Become an SSFPA Member
We thank our hard-working and dedicated partners for making this program possible.

Open for New Applications!

The NEW Venture-Capital Ready program is now taking applications. Close this window, read about the program and then take our Eligibility Assessment. If you are eligible, you'll create an account and we'll follow up with you immediately.

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