Passing the Mic: the VC Exchange, is brought to you by the Allyship, an initiative founded by EthicalDigital.ca and Neal Dempsey to influence social change for women in venture capital.

Michelle brings her expertise and experience in venture capital to the table. She speaks about her journey when entering the VC industry and what led her to venture into starting her firm, StandUp Ventures**. Michelle and her team at StandUp Ventures are advocates for women in venture capital and primarily invest in women-led companies. In this episode, Michelle shares how to navigate the barriers to entry in the industry and what we can learn from the emerging female entrepreneurship scene in Toronto and Waterloo. Michelle highlights the importance of diversity, community, mentorship, women in leadership, and finding the courage women need to embark into the venture capital world.

Highlights**

• You do not need to be a technologist to start your own tech company.
• More women in venture capitalists need to lead by encouraging other women to enter into the VC industry.
• Women founders seek women funders. Diversity in the investment community needs to happen in order for more women to get funded.
• Mentorship is a way to train the next generation of women venture capitalists.
• Academic institutions, such as universities, need to spread awareness about venture capital in Canada to promote more Canadian talent entering the industry.
• For hiring managers: find, enter, and recruit where diverse talent is located.

For all the latest info and episodes visit us at
www.the-allyship.com

Links to Resources:Women in VC Slack Channel