WOSEN

Support for your women-led social enterprise

The Women of Ontario Social Enterprise Network (WOSEN) offers a suite of programs for women interested in starting or growing their own ventures that seek to have a positive social, cultural or environmental impact through their operations, and/or the sale of their products or services.

WOSEN is dedicated to equity and inclusion, and the term “women” is used collectively throughout this page. We serve trans and cis women, and our programming is inclusive of Two-Spirit, non-binary, and genderqueer individuals. We prioritize those from underserved and underrepresented communities, including Indigenous folks, folks in rural or remote regions, racialized folks, newcomer folks, LGBTQ2+, and folks with disabilities.

Our programming works to unleash the entrepreneurial energy and capacity of women who have solutions that put people and the planet first. Together, we are redesigning how business supports are provided so these entrepreneurs can build the skills, make the connections, and receive the coaching needed to achieve their missions.

Read the Report

The Interim Report captures the story of WOSEN, from launch to mid-way through its three-and-a-half-year initiative (2019-2023). It conveys the collaborative’s intentions, progress, learnings and impact in meeting its goals. It offers a deeper understanding of the complexity of issues that the collaborative lives with in undertaking this work, i.e., its co-management, emerging challenges and future direction in service of continuing to enhance practices that create a more equitable and inclusive women’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. It also provides an opportunity to celebrate WOSEN’s innovative approaches and successes.

Download the WOSEN Interim Report (Full)

Download the WOSEN Interim Report (Summary)

The WOSEN Programs

SI Canada offers three free programs within the WOSEN initiative:

An ongoing support system for women entrepreneurs looking to get investment-ready.

A 9-week program for women entrepreneurs at the ideation stage.

A 20-week program for women entrepreneurs looking to refine their business model and build leadership skills.