Visa is empowering women entrepreneurs across Canada, offering ten $10,000 grants plus one year of coaching services through IFundWomen and access to an accelerated mentorship program. Learn more here.
The Visa She's Next Grant Program
Learn more about our latest recipients
Lesley Hampton
Lesley Hampton
Lesley Hampton is an Indigenous-owned, women-led, size-inclusive, Canadian clothing and accessory brand based in Toronto, Ontario. Founded in 2016 by Lesley Hampton, her self-titled brand is known for creating high quality fashion, from Signature Collection items of eveningwear and occasionwear to Athluxury Collection items of athleticwear and leisurewear.
SheFighter
Lina Khalifeh
After starting training women at the basement of her parent’s house, Lina managed to start her first SheFighter studio in 2012. This was the first self-defense studio designed to empower women both mentally and physiologically through self-defense techniques, leading women to feel more confident, secure and stronger. Lina has more than 17 years of experience in practicing Martial Arts like Taekwondo, Kick-Boxing, Kung Fu and Boxing.
Peko Produce
Arielle Lok & Sang Lê
Peko is building Canada's #1 online grocery marketplace that delivers “peculiar” or surplus groceries at up to 40% off retail prices. We’re on a mission to fight food waste and promote access to affordable, healthy food.
DiveThru
Sophie Gray
DiveThru is on a mission to ensure no young person struggles alone. Through our in-person studios and online platform, we connect today's generation with therapy, community and self-guided resources. Young people want to live in a “phygital” world where their physical and digital worlds seamlessly integrate. Our solution simplifies getting help by connecting them with the in-person & online tools they need.
The Wright Success
Ashley Wright
The Wright Success provides products and services on Cryptocurrency and Blockchain education. We help individuals shorten the learning curve by providing simple, strategic and relevant education through group classes, digital courses, ebooks and live in-person workshops. We are a community, Crypto Babes, of 20k women learning, working and building in the space.
Crying Out Loud
Shannon Culver, Sarah Keast, Alexie Landry & Janice Tsao
Our mission to redefine the journey of mental wellness includes chocolate and expletives alongside meditation and essential oils. The goal isn’t to strive for perfection, but to achieve a healthy balance that allows us to survive and thrive in the face of adversity. In addition to our retail offerings, we offer workshops and community events promoting wellness through learning and social connection.
Marlow
Nadia Ladak
Marlow is the newest menstrual wellness brand that has created the first-ever lubricated tampon for smoother and more comfortable insertion. The product is also more environmentally sustainable as it is 100% organic cotton with a plant-based applicator and compostable wrapper. We've built a community of over 40,000 menstruators through our education & content strategy and are determined to smash the stigma around menstrual health.
BEAUTYINK®
Shauna Magrath
BEAUTYINK® permanent cosmetics was created in Canada in 2008 to provide much needed services for those suffering from disease and disorders. Our services empower the lives of those in need that have lost their physical features from cancer, alopecia, diabetes, thyroid disorder, cerebral palsy, Parkinson's and many more. Shauna is able to rebuild the areas lost from these issues and can recreate the look of hair, areolas, nipples, brows and eyelash lines with her incredible artistry.
Eight50 Coffee
Muna Mohammed
We are a women-owned purpose driven coffee company with deep coffee roots. Our focus is to provide responsibly sourced, locally-roasted specialty coffee from around the world, so customers can truly enjoy our single origin and unique blends at home. As a granddaughter of a coffee farmer, we named our company in honour of the year coffee was discovered in 850 AD, and to pay homage to the birthplace of coffee (Ethiopia).
MeditationWorks Inc
Traci Shepheard
MeditationWorks began out of the awareness that mental health and well-being of people around the world was being dramatically affected due to being so connected that people were becoming drastically disconnected. MeditationWorks is Canada's first mobile meditation studio, bringinging our workplace wellness experiences to the doorsteps and computer screens easily for employers to support their employees - Live In Person and Live Virtually.
Check out the full list of recipients below
Visa Small Business Hub
Visa developed a Small Business Hub to help business owners start, run, and grow a digital-first small business. The Hub offers solutions and guidance around building a website, selling online, accepting payments, and promoting businesses online.
Start your business
Starting a business involves figuring out funding and startup costs, setting up a website and deciding what kind of payments you’re going to accept.
Run your business
Learn more about managing your finances, selling your product or service, optimizing your website and getting on online marketplaces.
Grow your business
Fine-tuning your efforts, discovering new strategies and managing your online reputation can help grow your business.
Digital Downloads
Learn more about the digital landscape and transforming your business digitally.
Visa has also teamed up with a number of organizations including Google, Shopify, and WordPress.com as well as Visa’s own payments platform Authorize.Net, to provide offers and educational resources for small business owners.
How You Can Support
Visa’s Back to Business Locator is an online tool that helps you identify businesses that are open. As these businesses continue to adapt and serve their communities, you can show your support by shopping at them or recommending them to others.