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Social Venture Institute (SVI) Virtual

February 6-7 + Workshops February 10-14, 2025
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A Space for Strength, Resilience, and Innovation

A purpose-led gathering centering the leadership of women and gender-diverse entrepreneurs—those who balance business, caregiving, advocacy, and other underrecognized roles.

Transforming Business, Together

If you believe business can and should drive social and economic transformation, you belong at Social Venture Institute. With somatic and arts-based facilitation, we tap into intuition, emotional intelligence, and creativity—qualities often overlooked but essential for transformative leadership.

Who is SVI Virtual For?

People of all genders are welcome in this powerful shared space, which will spotlight and centre the experiences of women and gender-diverse entrepreneurs.

While SVI Virtual is designed to focus on women and gender-diverse entrepreneurs, for our systems to shift, men must play a part in building a more equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Be part of SVI Virtual on February 6-7, 2025, followed by a week of engaging workshops from February 10-14, 2025.

Speakers

Vanessa Richards

SVI & SVI Virtual Lead Facilitator
Director, vanessarichards.com

Kareen Wong

Principal Consultant & Coach
Kareen Wong Consulting
Jasmine Rashid

Jasmine Rashid

Director of Impact and Author of The Financial Activist Playbook
Candide Group
Katrina Donald

Katrina Donald

Principal Consultant and Leadership Coach
Ever-so-Curious Consulting
Meagan Sutton

Meagan Sutton

Independent Philanthropy Coach + Evaluation Consultant

Rachel Dick

Senior Manager, Social Purpose Business Innovation
Coast Capital

Meet Your Team

SVI Virtual is proudly shaped by an advisory circle of entrepreneurs and business leaders who are committed to convening, building access and opportunities for women-identifying business leaders, and dismantling oppression everywhere.

 

Vanessa Richards

SVI & SVI Virtual Lead Facilitator
Director, vanessarichards.com
Practical Feet Advisors CEO, Pamela Chaloult

Pamela Chaloult

SVI & SVI Virtual Advisory Circle & SVI Virtual Co-Founder
Founder & CEO, Practical Feet Advisors
cynthia_billops

Cynthia Billops

SVI Virtual Advisory Circle
Direct Service, Director, ICA Fund

Maggie Chan

SVI Virtual Advisory Circle
Director, Tech Adoption Programs, InnovateBC

Melissa Allen

SVI Virtual Advisory Circle
Executive Director, League of Innovators

Carla Heim

SVI Virtual Advisory Circle
Director, Sustainability, BDC

Jackee Kasandy

SVI Virtual Advisory Circle
Founder | CEO, Black Entrepreneurs & Businesses of Canada Society
Alexia McKinnon smiling

Alexia McKinnon

SVI Virtual Advisory Circle
Director of Indigenous Programs, Beedie School of Business (SFU)
Brianne Miller headshot

Brianne Miller

SVI Virtual Advisory Circle
Director of Community & Regenerative Capital, Coralus
Kel Moody

Kel Moody

SVI Virtual Advisory Circle
Founder, Alluvium Gatherings

Why Join SVI Virtual?

  • Access a Thriving Community: Your ticket is more than entry to the 2-day gathering (February 6-7, 2025) and week-long skill-building workshops (February 10-14, 2025). It’s your connection to the SVI Network—1,200+ mission-driven entrepreneurs offering resources, opportunities, and ongoing support.
  • Breaking Barriers Through Accessibility: SVI Virtual’s online format removes obstacles like caregiving responsibilities, geographic limitations, and time constraints, making it possible for leaders everywhere to participate. Accessible, tiered pricing ensures that financial circumstances aren’t a barrier.
  • Championing Equity and Transformation: You’re supporting a system that prioritizes equity, generosity, and connection. Together, we’re dismantling barriers for women and marginalized leaders while fostering collaboration, resilience, and transformation.

  • Build Lasting Relationships: Connect deeply with like-minded entrepreneurs. Past participants have reported forming relationships that offer ongoing support, inspiration, and meaningful opportunities long after the event.

Join your community
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SVI Virtual Weaves Together:

A happy student from the SVIW Virtual Hollyhock program sitting on the garden floor
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Storytelling

True Confessions: We start each SVI with a True Confessions presentation because it helps create a safe environment for truth telling, and people usually learn the most from hearing other people’s stories (not from listening to a lot of theories that aren’t linked to real experiences).

Case Studies: Dive into real-world challenges like navigating funding inequities, overcoming gender bias, and scaling mission-driven ventures in male-dominated industries. In this structured, results-driven format, a panel of experts and all attendees collaborate to provide invaluable insights, feedback, and support. Case Studies offer a unique opportunity to strengthen your business acumen while learning from and contributing to the growth of a fellow business leader.

Woman journaling at the Hollyhock Campus | Hollyhock
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Skill Building & Mentorship

Peer Coaching: We gather in small groups for these interactive problem solving sessions. Each person can share a challenge and receive loving peer reflection in a safe, intimate space with support from SVI leaders and experts.

Workshops: 90-minute interactive skill-building workshops. Receive practical skills through the generous sharing of knowledge and expertise throughout our time together on topics like marketing, HR, finance, leadership, operations.

  • In Search of Mino-Biimaadziwin through Generational Wealth with Hillory Tenute
  • Financial Activism 101 with Jasmine Rashid
  • The Art of Strategic Decision-Making When Everything Feels Important with Kareen Wong
  • Welcome to the New Era of the Purpose-Driven Business: Why It Matters and What You Can Do with Charla Vall
  • Measure and Amplify Your Impact with Annelies Tjebbes & Meagan Sutton
  • AI in Action: Practical Applications for Business Leaders with Rochelle Grayson
  • Developmental Evaluation for Continuous Improvement and Adaptation with Katrina Donald
  • Nonviolent Communication Tools to Move You Through Hard Things with Leonie Smith
  • Marketing Made Simple: Why Doing More Is Holding Your Business Back with Courtney Henry
  • Harness Stress for Your Business Success with Debra Joy
  • Financial Well-Being and Your Business: Answering Your Most Pressing Questions with Rachel Dick and Chris Moscatello

 

View the Schedule & Detailed Session Agenda
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Community Building

Marketplace of Ideas: Fast paced one-minute presentations allow SVI attendees to pitch an idea or make that ask for what you really need.

Entrepreneurship can feel isolating, especially in this unsettled world. The magic of SVI is in the people you meet. This is an inclusive cross-generational, cross-cultural, cross-sectorial gathering, designed to generate insights and real connection.

Register Now

Agenda

Agenda subject to changes and updates. All times in PST

View the Detailed Session Agenda Here

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Pricing

Social Venture Institute Women Virtual 2023

Tuition: (all prices are in CAD)

The tuition includes access to the full 2-day gathering, featuring all sessions, True Confession, Case Study, and peer coaching, plus engaging skill-building workshops throughout the following week—all recorded so you can revisit the content anytime. Join us for an enriching experience designed to inspire, connect, and equip you with practical tools for your journey.

  • Generous $425
    • If you’re in a position to contribute more, this tier enables you to invest in our mission of accessibility and inclusion. Your generosity supports SVI Scholarships for participants facing systemic barriers and helps foster a vibrant, equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem.
  • Standard $205
    • This price reflects the full cost of delivering the event. By selecting the standard tier, you help sustain the event and ensure equitable access for others, particularly those managing households, caregiving, or underfunded ventures.
  • Subsidized $55
    • This option is for women, gender-diverse individuals, or anyone facing financial barriers. We honour the realities of caregiving, systemic inequities, or early-stage entrepreneurship that can limit resources. Choose this tier if it makes your participation possible.
  • If the subsidized ticket is not accessible to you, please contact us at [email protected] for a fully subsidized ticket.
Register Now

Our Partners

Thank you to our community partners for helping support, uplift, and work together to eliminate barriers to equity and economic access!

Coast Capital
Junxion logo
Chambar logo
Stephanie Vellins - Harris logo

Community Amplifiers

Thank you to our community amplifiers for helping support, uplift, and work together to eliminate barriers to equity and economic access!