Powering Women-Led Companies to Enter International Markets
Powering Women-Led Companies to Enter International Markets
FoundHers supports export-ready and high-growth companies through trade missions, international business development, and cross-border commercialization pathways that open doors to global buyers, investors, distributors, and strategic partners.
FoundHers supports export-ready and high-growth companies through trade missions, international business development, and cross-border commercialization pathways that open doors to global buyers, investors, distributors, and strategic partners.
Export readiness & market entry
strategy
Direct access to global buyers &
investor
High-impact trade missions (U.S.,
MENA, APAC)
Commercialization pathways that drive
revenue
Expanding Innovation Globally
Expanding Innovation Globally
FoundHers is a Canadian trade organization advancing the participation of women-led companies in international markets.
Our Global Expansion Programs are designed to strengthen export readiness, accelerate foreign market entry, and build meaningful commercial relationships that drive Canadian economic growth.
We work with Canadian companies pursuing commercial opportunities in key regions:
mena
United States
Emerging Global Innovation Hubs
Through curated programming, market intelligence, and facilitated introductions, we equip founders with the tools, knowledge, and connections they need to expand their global footprint.
Through curated programming, market intelligence, and facilitated introductions, we equip founders with the tools, knowledge, and connections they need to expand their global footprint.
Through curated programming, market intelligence, and facilitated introductions, we equip founders with the tools, knowledge, and connections they need to expand their global footprint.
Program Pillars
Program Pillars
Export Readiness Development
Export Readiness Development
We prepare founders to pursue international markets with confidence through:
Market-entry guidance tailored to global regions
Market-entry guidance tailored to global regions
Regulatory, cultural, and sector-specific insights
Regulatory, cultural, and sector-specific insights
Commercialization and go-to-market strategies
Commercialization and go-to-market strategies
Investor and buyer readiness support
Investor and buyer readiness support
Our goal is to ensure Canadian companies can successfully navigate and enter foreign markets.
Our goal is to ensure Canadian companies can successfully navigate and enter foreign markets.
International Business Development
International Business Development
We help companies build the relationships required for global growth:
Introductions to foreign buyers, distributors, and investors
Regulatory, cultural, and sector-specific insights
Commercialization and go-to-market strategies
Investor and buyer readiness support
Trade Missions & Global Showcases
Trade Missions & Global Showcases
FoundHers leads targeted trade missions for export-ready companies to activate global expansion opportunities.
Market-entry guidance tailored to global regions
Regulatory, cultural, and sector-specific insights
Commercialization and go-to-market strategies
Investor and buyer readiness support
These missions enable Canadian founders to pitch internationally, meet decision-makers, and secure commercial traction.
Cross-Border Commercialization Pathways
Cross-Border Commercialization Pathways
We provide wraparound support to help companies launch, test, or scale their products in global markets, including:
Market validation and customer discovery support
Localization and pricing considerations
Pathways to distribution and channel partners
Follow-up business development support after missions
Who We Work With
Who We Work With
Who Is Eligible for Global Expansion Programming?
Who Is Eligible for Global Expansion Programming?
FoundHers programs support Canadian companies that are:
FoundHers programs support Canadian companies that are:
Have at least one woman on the founding team
Have at least one woman on the founding team
Incorporated companies with commercial products or services
Incorporated companies with commercial products or services
MVP ready
MVP ready
Exporting or preparing to export within 12–24 months
Exporting or preparing to export within 12–24 months
Interested in entering global markets, particularly MENA and the U.S.
Interested in entering global markets, particularly MENA and the U.S.
Seeking investor, buyer, distributor, or strategic partnerships abroad
Seeking investor, buyer, distributor, or strategic partnerships abroad
Founder Spotlight
Founder Spotlight
Hear from founders who have expanded globally with FoundHers
Hear from founders who have expanded globally with FoundHers
"I'm so grateful to FoundHers for rooting for Serenity Power Inc. and creating opportunities like this. We're getting hands-on support, real collaboration, insane networking opportunities, and best of all, a powerhouse group of brilliant women making waves. I never thought I'd be the type to look forward to Saturday morning classes… but here we are: growing, learning, elevating."
"I'm so grateful to FoundHers for rooting for Serenity Power Inc. and creating opportunities like this. We're getting hands-on support, real collaboration, insane networking opportunities, and best of all, a powerhouse group of brilliant women making waves. I never thought I'd be the type to look forward to Saturday morning classes… but here we are: growing, learning, elevating."
"I'm so grateful to FoundHers for rooting for Serenity Power Inc. and creating opportunities like this. We're getting hands-on support, real collaboration, insane networking opportunities, and best of all, a powerhouse group of brilliant women making waves. I never thought I'd be the type to look forward to Saturday morning classes… but here we are: growing, learning, elevating."
Aleisha Cerny
Founder & CEO, Serenity Power Inc.
"Grateful doesn't even begin to describe it. Last week, I had the opportunity to travel to Dubai with fellow Canadian founders as part of the national pavilion representing Canadian innovation on a global stage! What started as a business trip quickly became one of the most pivotal experiences of my journey as a founder."
"Grateful doesn't even begin to describe it. Last week, I had the opportunity to travel to Dubai with fellow Canadian founders as part of the national pavilion representing Canadian innovation on a global stage! What started as a business trip quickly became one of the most pivotal experiences of my journey as a founder."
"Grateful doesn't even begin to describe it. Last week, I had the opportunity to travel to Dubai with fellow Canadian founders as part of the national pavilion representing Canadian innovation on a global stage! What started as a business trip quickly became one of the most pivotal experiences of my journey as a founder."
Stephanie Martin
Founder & CEO
"Being a founder has taught me one thing: you don't always need to have everything figured out before you take the leap. Landing in Dubai for Expand North Star & GITEX GLOBAL has been surreal. The energy here is unmatched; founders, investors, and innovators from every corner of the world, all building the future together."
"Being a founder has taught me one thing: you don't always need to have everything figured out before you take the leap. Landing in Dubai for Expand North Star & GITEX GLOBAL has been surreal. The energy here is unmatched; founders, investors, and innovators from every corner of the world, all building the future together."
"Being a founder has taught me one thing: you don't always need to have everything figured out before you take the leap. Landing in Dubai for Expand North Star & GITEX GLOBAL has been surreal. The energy here is unmatched; founders, investors, and innovators from every corner of the world, all building the future together."
Kemi Bello-Bolatito
Founder & CEO
Ready to Scale Globally?
Ready to Scale Globally?
Join a cohort of women-led companies expanding into international markets with purpose, partners, and traction. Apply to our accelerator program today.
Join a cohort of women-led companies expanding into international markets with purpose, partners, and traction. Apply to our accelerator program today.
The Canadian Women’s Foundation is part of the Women and Nonbinary Impact Network for Venture Capital (WIN-VC) collective that will make the venture capital environment more inclusive for women by transforming traditional investment processes, processes and knowledge into respectful and meaningful approaches that value equity and impact with a focus on diverse women and non-binary entrepreneurs and SMEs including Black communities, Indigenous peoples, racialized populations, persons with a disability, 2SLGBTQI+ and new Canadians. WIN-VC acknowledges the support of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada
Le Fondation Canadienne de Femmes et WIN-VC est reconnaissant du soutien apporté par Innovation, Science et Développement économique (ISED) Canada. L'ISED a accordé un financement à WIN-VC qui rendra l'environnement du capital-risque plus inclusif pour les femmes en transformant les processus d'investissement traditionnels, les processus et les connaissances en approches respectueuses et significatives qui valorisent l'équité et l'impact en mettant l'accent sur les femmes diverses et les entrepreneurs non binaires et les PME, y compris les communautés noires, les peuples autochtones, les populations racialisées, les personnes handicapées, les 2SLGBTQ2+ et les néo-Canadiens.
The Canadian Women’s Foundation is part of the Women and Nonbinary Impact Network for Venture Capital (WIN-VC) collective that will make the venture capital environment more inclusive for women by transforming traditional investment processes, processes and knowledge into respectful and meaningful approaches that value equity and impact with a focus on diverse women and non-binary entrepreneurs and SMEs including Black communities, Indigenous peoples, racialized populations, persons with a disability, 2SLGBTQI+ and new Canadians. WIN-VC acknowledges the support of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada
Le Fondation Canadienne de Femmes et WIN-VC est reconnaissant du soutien apporté par Innovation, Science et Développement économique (ISED) Canada. L'ISED a accordé un financement à WIN-VC qui rendra l'environnement du capital-risque plus inclusif pour les femmes en transformant les processus d'investissement traditionnels, les processus et les connaissances en approches respectueuses et significatives qui valorisent l'équité et l'impact en mettant l'accent sur les femmes diverses et les entrepreneurs non binaires et les PME, y compris les communautés noires, les peuples autochtones, les populations racialisées, les personnes handicapées, les 2SLGBTQ2+ et les néo-Canadiens.
The Canadian Women’s Foundation is part of the Women and Nonbinary Impact Network for Venture Capital (WIN-VC) collective that will make the venture capital environment more inclusive for women by transforming traditional investment processes, processes and knowledge into respectful and meaningful approaches that value equity and impact with a focus on diverse women and non-binary entrepreneurs and SMEs including Black communities, Indigenous peoples, racialized populations, persons with a disability, 2SLGBTQI+ and new Canadians. WIN-VC acknowledges the support of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada
Le Fondation Canadienne de Femmes et WIN-VC est reconnaissant du soutien apporté par Innovation, Science et Développement économique (ISED) Canada. L'ISED a accordé un financement à WIN-VC qui rendra l'environnement du capital-risque plus inclusif pour les femmes en transformant les processus d'investissement traditionnels, les processus et les connaissances en approches respectueuses et significatives qui valorisent l'équité et l'impact en mettant l'accent sur les femmes diverses et les entrepreneurs non binaires et les PME, y compris les communautés noires, les peuples autochtones, les populations racialisées, les personnes handicapées, les 2SLGBTQ2+ et les néo-Canadiens.
