As part of the Government of Canada’s Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES), Northumberland CFDC is pleased to launch DELIA: an Ecosystem Fund for Women. DELIA prioritizes investment in innovative women-owned and women-led enterprises in exurban Eastern Ontario as part of an inclusive gender equity strategy for economic development and diversification.
The objective of DELIA is to help women start, scale up and expand their innovative high growth potential ventures. The initiative will support a minimum of 30 businesses by 2023.
WES priorities are encoded in DELIA’s fintech-driven lending model, honed and developed in partnership with Corl Financial Technologies.
DELIA offers applicants a contemporized loan automation and credit engine powered by artificial intelligence, machine learning and bank-level security in order to streamline funding opportunities.
The online application delivers instant pre-approval decisions on commercial loan applications from $25,000 to $50,000 (in $5,000 increments).
DELIA (the acronym stands for “Develop. Educate. Lead. Innovate. Accelerate.”) will offer participants an opportunity to connect and advance their businesses through exclusive skills training opportunities for the inaugural cohort of 30 ventures. Successful loan recipients will have access to concurrent entrepreneurial development programs delivered in partnership with Singularity University Canada, Valkerie (growclass) and with perks from TELUS Business Solutions, IBM Canada and more.
DELIA entrepreneurs will have access to over 200+ coaching and mentoring hours, $7,500 in funded wrap-around services, technical group training, accelerator perks, pre-qualification for N100 Evolution: Artemis Edition, and experiential learning and events both virtually and on location at the Venture13 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre in Cobourg.
“This is a breakthrough, pilot initiative that will revolutionize our approach to achieving gender equity in entrepreneurial finance and development,” said Wendy Curtis, Executive Director of Northumberland CFDC.
“We are pleased to be leveraging Canadian fintech innovation and partnerships to advance women’s economic empowerment, with the support of FedDev Ontario.”
The DELIA application portal is open. Apply now at financingandstrategy.com/delia.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
