May 6, 2016 | The Embassy of Israel and Startup Canada are searching for Canada’s top women-led startup to represent Canada in Tel Aviv this fall as part of Start Tel Aviv, a global competition. The competition will open to women startup founders using technology in their businesses in innovative and creative ways on May 16.
“Entrepreneurial connections in Israel, one of the world’s leading startup nations, is a tremendous advantage for Canadian women entrepreneurs as they start their companies, test their products and seek customers and funding opportunities,” said Victoria Lennox, Co-Founder and CEO of Startup Canada. “This competition will open many doors for women-led companies to access global markets, investors, customers and collaborators.”
“Israel is known as the ‘startup nation’ for its success in creating a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation,” said Rafael Barak, Israel’s Ambassador to Canada. “For Israel to maintain its global reputation, we know that more work needs to be done to encourage all elements of the population to share in this important sector of our economy. I am confident that this contest will not only help to build bridges between some young Israeli and Canadian women working in high-tech, but it will have a greater impact on raising awareness about the role of women in creating a vibrant, enduring startup ecosystem and innovative economy.”
The winner of the Start Tel Aviv competition will receive an intense, all-expenses-paid, five-day startup experience in Tel Aviv, which ranked as the world’s top startup city outside of the United States in the 2015 Compass Global Startup Ecosystem Ranking. The winner will have the opportunity to network with the founders of 23 other startups from around the world and be immersed in Israel’s world-renowned technology and innovation scenes. The winner will also have the chance to attend Israel’s DLD Tel Aviv Innovation Festival.
The announcement was made at Startup Canada Day on the Hill, the largest gathering of entrepreneurs, innovators, anchor companies, investors, media personalities, Ministers, Members of Parliament, and public servants to unlock the entrepreneurial potential of every Canadian and to create an Innovation Agenda that works for Canada.
Doubling down on diversity was a main focus of the day’s dialogue to ensure Canada’s approach to innovation encourages women, new Canadians, and Indigenous communities to get involved in the highest levels of entrepreneurship.
Quick Facts
- In 2015, Startup Canada and the Embassy of Israel partnered to bring the Start Tel Aviv competition to Canada for the first time. The competition was then open to Canadian tech entrepreneurs, and awarded Ronen Benin, Founder and CEO of RightBlue Labs with the experience allowing him to gain international exposure for his company and develop relations with new clients.
- 1.5 million Canadians are currently employed at women-owned businesses, according to the BMO Financial Group.
- Women-owned businesses contribute $148 billion to the Canadian economy annually, according to RBC Economics.
- With just 0.1% of the world’s population, the Israeli experience has cultivated a culture of entrepreneurship and creativity. Israel ranks first in the world in per capita R&D spending, startups per capita and VC investment per capita. It is home to over 350 R&D centres of global multinationals including Google, Apple, IBM and Intel.
For more information, contact:
Kathryn Forrest
Communications & Marketing Manager, Startup Canada
1-844-782-7801 ext. 106
Howard Fremeth
Director of Communications, Embassy of Israel
613-750-7507
About Startup Canada
Startup Canada is a grassroots network of entrepreneurs working together to build an environment for entrepreneurship in Canada. Through online platforms, grassroots Startup Communities and cross-sector initiatives, Startup Canada is advancing entrepreneurial momentum and a culture of entrepreneurship, as the voice of Canadian entrepreneurs. For more information, visit www.startupcan.ca.
About The Embassy of Israel in Canada
Celebrating 66 years of diplomatic ties, the Canada-Israel relationship is rooted in shared democratic values and common interests. The warm relations and close people-to-people connections provide fertile ground for the Embassy to promote greater partnerships, economic growth and friendship between the State of Israel and Canada. Based in Canada’s national capital, Ottawa, you can follow us on Twitter and Facebook or connect with us at http://ottawa.mfa.gov.il/.