INTRODUCTION
The New Brunswick Innovation Foundation (NBIF) is excited to announce we will be hosting a Fueling Female Founders Pitch Competition on June 4th, 2025, at the Atlantic Venture Forum in Halifax, Nova Scotia. We are inviting female founders located in Atlantic Canada to apply to pitch at this competition in front of a panel of investors. This pitch competition is intended to provide a platform for 5 female-led startups at the pre-seed stage to pitch their innovative ideas to a broad audience at the Atlantic Venture Forum. One company of the 5 will be selected to enter due diligence with NBIF for up to $100,000 in equity investment.
If you are interested in applying to pitch, please review the Competition Guidelines carefully before submitting your application.
ELIGIBILITY
Who: Female or female-identifying founded companies can apply to pitch. The female founder must be present to pitch at the event.
Company Location: The company must be based in Atlantic Canada, including the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Stage: The company must be at the pre-seed stage. Pre-seed stage to be defined as raised less than $500,000 of capital.
APPLICATION PROCESS IN BRIEF
Detailed guidelines listed in the Competition Guidelines
Application Form: Interested founders should complete the online application located on the NBIF Application Portal. The form will require essential details about the company, including its founders, product/service offering, market opportunity, and current stage of development.
Investor Pitch Deck: Along with the application form, founders should submit a concise pitch deck outlining key aspects of their business, such as problem statement, solution, target market, traction achieved, business model, and funding requirements. The pitch deck should be submitted in PDF format.
Deadline: Applications must be submitted by May 12th, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. Late submissions will not be considered for evaluation.
Review Process: All applications will undergo a thorough review process conducted by the NBIF team. The evaluation will focus on factors such as innovation, market potential, scalability, and the strength of the founding team.
Shortlisting: 5 companies will be shortlisted to pitch at AVF. They will be notified on or before May 15th, 2025. Shortlisted companies will receive a complementary ticket to register for AVF in Halifax. All participants will be responsible for their own travel costs to the event.
Showcase: Shortlisted founders will have the opportunity to present their business ideas to a panel of investors and industry experts during the showcase. Founders will have a maximum of 5-minutes to pitch. Each pitch will be followed by a 5-minute Q&A session.
Selection: Final selection of the winning company for the SAFE investment and mentorship will be made based on the pitch presentations, Q&A sessions, and overall evaluation by the panel using a scoring matrix.
Link to Competition Guidelines document: Competition Guidelines.
BENEFITS TO APPLYING:
Investment Opportunities: One (1) startup will have the chance to secure up to $100,000 in equity investment from NBIF and other potential co-investors.
In-kind Support: NBIF has partnered with ecosystem supports and investors to provide in-kind support to finalists. Details to be confirmed and provided upon completion of the pitch competition.
Mentorship: Founders will receive valuable mentorship and guidance from experienced industry leaders to help accelerate their startup's growth.
Networking: The competition provides a platform for founders to expand their professional network, connect with potential collaborators, and gain exposure to investors in attendance at AVF.
We encourage female founders with innovative business ideas and a passion for entrepreneurship to take advantage of this opportunity to showcase their startups and take their ventures to the next level.
For any inquiries or assistance regarding the application process, please contact Hilary Lenihan, Director of Strategic Engagement, at hilary.lenihan@nbif.ca
We look forward to receiving your applications and supporting the growth of female-led startups in Atlantic Canada!
NBIF-AVF Fueling Female Founders Pitch Competition 2025
INTRODUCTION
The New Brunswick Innovation Foundation (NBIF) is excited to announce we will be hosting a Fueling Female Founders Pitch Competition on June 4th, 2025, at the Atlantic Venture Forum in Halifax, Nova Scotia. We are inviting female founders located in Atlantic Canada to apply to pitch at this competition in front of a panel of investors. This pitch competition is intended to provide a platform for 5 female-led startups at the pre-seed stage to pitch their innovative ideas to a broad audience at the Atlantic Venture Forum. One company of the 5 will be selected to enter due diligence with NBIF for up to $100,000 in equity investment.
If you are interested in applying to pitch, please review the Competition Guidelines carefully before submitting your application.
ELIGIBILITY
Who: Female or female-identifying founded companies can apply to pitch. The female founder must be present to pitch at the event.
Company Location: The company must be based in Atlantic Canada, including the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Stage: The company must be at the pre-seed stage. Pre-seed stage to be defined as raised less than $500,000 of capital.
APPLICATION PROCESS IN BRIEF
Detailed guidelines listed in the Competition Guidelines
Application Form: Interested founders should complete the online application located on the NBIF Application Portal. The form will require essential details about the company, including its founders, product/service offering, market opportunity, and current stage of development.
Investor Pitch Deck: Along with the application form, founders should submit a concise pitch deck outlining key aspects of their business, such as problem statement, solution, target market, traction achieved, business model, and funding requirements. The pitch deck should be submitted in PDF format.
Deadline: Applications must be submitted by May 12th, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. Late submissions will not be considered for evaluation.
Review Process: All applications will undergo a thorough review process conducted by the NBIF team. The evaluation will focus on factors such as innovation, market potential, scalability, and the strength of the founding team.
Shortlisting: 5 companies will be shortlisted to pitch at AVF. They will be notified on or before May 15th, 2025. Shortlisted companies will receive a complementary ticket to register for AVF in Halifax. All participants will be responsible for their own travel costs to the event.
Showcase: Shortlisted founders will have the opportunity to present their business ideas to a panel of investors and industry experts during the showcase. Founders will have a maximum of 5-minutes to pitch. Each pitch will be followed by a 5-minute Q&A session.
Selection: Final selection of the winning company for the SAFE investment and mentorship will be made based on the pitch presentations, Q&A sessions, and overall evaluation by the panel using a scoring matrix.
Link to Competition Guidelines document: Competition Guidelines.
BENEFITS TO APPLYING:
Investment Opportunities: One (1) startup will have the chance to secure up to $100,000 in equity investment from NBIF and other potential co-investors.
In-kind Support: NBIF has partnered with ecosystem supports and investors to provide in-kind support to finalists. Details to be confirmed and provided upon completion of the pitch competition.
Mentorship: Founders will receive valuable mentorship and guidance from experienced industry leaders to help accelerate their startup's growth.
Networking: The competition provides a platform for founders to expand their professional network, connect with potential collaborators, and gain exposure to investors in attendance at AVF.
We encourage female founders with innovative business ideas and a passion for entrepreneurship to take advantage of this opportunity to showcase their startups and take their ventures to the next level.
For any inquiries or assistance regarding the application process, please contact Hilary Lenihan, Director of Strategic Engagement, at hilary.lenihan@nbif.ca
We look forward to receiving your applications and supporting the growth of female-led startups in Atlantic Canada!