Torys and the Canadian Women’s Network partner to connect women founders from racially diverse backgrounds with opportunities in Silicon Valley

Torys is proud to announce its partnership with the Canadian Women’s Network (CWN), the preeminent community that connects Canadian female founders with an influential network of U.S. investors, operators, and executive leaders to help them grow locally and scale globally.  

Torys, an international law firm that works closely with startups and investors, is the exclusive legal partner of the CWN’s BIPOC Program. Torys will participate in the Selection Committee for the program and oversee its flagship initiatives.

Torys will also provide guidance to founders as they fine-tune their business plans and present their companies to investors. 

“We have been very deliberate and focused on supporting women founders since 2017, but we always knew there was a need to go beyond and support underrepresented and underestimated groups. We are receiving amazing support and guidance on how we support racially diverse communities and are grateful to Torys’ leadership and partnership”, stated Joanne Fedeyko, CWN Founder.

Head of Torys’ Emerging Companies and Venture Capital practice Konata Lake said that Torys is committed to doing its part to ensuring that the founder dream and opportunity is equally available to all individuals interested in becoming entrepreneurs.

“Women founders, and particularly women founders from racially diverse backgrounds, are underrepresented in the startup ecosystem, which is a loss to all of us as we are missing the benefit of the thinking, perspective, creativity and ingenuity of an important segment of our society. Programs such as this are essential in leveling the playing field”, explained Konata.

Other supporters of the program include BDC, the University of Toronto, the Black Founders Network, and the Women’s Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub.

In addition to supporting founders from racially diverse backgrounds through the CWN partnership, Torys is also a partner of the DMZ, providing support and mentorship to its founders including those in its Black Innovation and Women Founders programs.

For more information on the work Torys does to support startups and the VCs, lenders and strategic investors who finance them, reach out to our team.

You can learn more about the Canadian Women’s Network here.

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Richard Coombs | Senior Manager, Marketing
416.865.3815