Ten to Traction: 10 founders– $10,000–10 weeks to traction
Your exclusive opportunity to get market-ready and build a pipeline of excited customers
Today:
- Only 5% of Canadian tech companies have a solo female CEO.
- 53% of Canadian tech companies have no women executives.
- Only one woman-led Canadian tech company went public in the last year.
These stats must change. We are introducing a perfect ten into this equation.
Your exclusive opportunity to get market-ready and build a pipeline of excited customers
Today:
- Only 5% of Canadian tech companies have a solo female CEO.
- 53% of Canadian tech companies have no women executives.
- Only one woman-led Canadian tech company went public in the last year.
These stats must change. We are introducing a perfect ten into this equation.
Introducing IO Traction
We are recruiting 10 women tech founders for a 10-week bootcamp with $10,000 in non-dilutive investment to accelerate their growth. Welcome to IO Traction a cohort-based program designed to help women tech founders get to market more quickly right here in O-town. The first (and most critical step): growing customers, sales, and revenue.
The IO Traction Bootcamp is a series of hands-on, collaborative workshops that helps founders:
- Create their ideal customer profile,
- Develop a growth model,
- Collect crucial customer feedback;
- Build a sales and marketing strategy;
- Set their customers up for success.
Our first cohort of IO Traction will launch in late Spring 2022.
Today:
Only 5%
of Canadian tech companies have a solo female CEO.
53%
of Canadian tech companies have no women executives.
Only 1
woman-led Canadian tech company went public in the last year.
Is IO Traction the right fit for me?
IO Traction is a collaborative program that allows women-led companies get market ready with a pipeline of excited customers. You should apply if your startup is:
Women-led, meaning a woman has significant ownership of the business (33% minimum)
Based in Canada’s Capital Region
MVP-ready, with a prototype you can put in the hands of customers
Currently working to solve a clearly defined problem
Tech or tech-enabled
Looking for support and mentorship
Ready to put insight into action
Eager to join a founder community
- 1
- 2
“We are humbled and honored to have graduated from cohort 11, and very excited about the next milestones in our journey. It is such a privilege to be a part of the vast network of Invest Ottawa, and to be guided by the program team throughout the 10 weeks. It wouldn’t have been possible without our dear mentor, Laurie Davis. His insights have been key in our journey, and we are looking forward to new heights to reach with his support.”
“I’m a testament to Invest Ottawa’s empowerment of entrepreneurs in the capital region of Canada. From being in IO Ignition Program, to having several partnership opportunities with them since, Invest Ottawa has become a significant part of my personal and business success story.”
About the Program
What you will get:
- Access to a Cohort-Based Trusted Community – Join a group of 10 like-minded, dedicated women founders in the room. It’s a safe space to discuss challenges in an intimate environment.
- Hands-on Workshops – Topics range from identifying your ideal customer profile, growth modeling, beta vs trials vs paid customers, feedback loops, cashflows, and much more. This curriculum involves weekly 2–3-hour workshops that will enable you to drive your business forward.
- Funding you need to grow now! You will receive a $10K non-dilutive, matching grant to become market-ready.
![Woman teaching a group](https://www.investottawa.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/workshop.jpg")
But wait! There’s more:
One-on-one dedicated support and office hours with advisors who have first-hand experience in the field
Free pass to Sarah Lacy’s New Media Mastery Bootcamp! Refine your story and position your brand before starting IO Traction
Finally, you will have the opportunity to show off all your hard work to the Ottawa community and pitch the growth strategy you have developed over the course of the bootcamp
Apply to the IO Traction Program
Startups Profiles
Venture Path Programs
Thanks to our sponsors
Proud Premier Sponsor of Invest Ottawa
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