OWIT-Toronto is partnering with Toronto Business Development Centre (TBDC) to foster women entrepreneurship, empowerment and advancement in international trade. The partnership seeks to leverage existing resources, expertise and capabilities to nurture women-led businesses to grow and tap into domestic, regional and international business opportunities.

TBDC was established in 1990 by the City of Toronto with support from the Ministry of Economic Development of Trade in Ontario, as one of the designated Canadian business incubators under the Start-up Visa Program. TBDC has been locally, nationally and internationally recognized for its efforts in nurturing the growth of new and emerging businesses in the Greater Toronto Area. It has also been acclaimed as one of Canada’s leading business incubators in fostering an entrepreneurial community, providing business support and establishing investor relations. TBDC has helped over 9000+ start-ups (domestic and international) over the years.

As part of the OWIT-Toronto and TBDC partnership, TBDC will be offering business advisory services on a case-by-case need-basis to OWIT-Toronto members. TBDC will also offer educational information sessions including market briefings and intelligence reports about international markets as well as a facilitation to related networks.

Neha Bahl, Executive Director and President of TBDC warmly welcomed this collaboration. “TBDC's mandate is supporting businesses that contribute to advancing career opportunities and empowerment for women. OWIT-Toronto is an important organization that creates opportunities for women to develop their leadership skills and visibility, and we are very proud to collaborate and foster women entrepreneurship,” she noted.

Helen Hemmingsen, President of OWIT-Toronto expressed pleasure to work in partnership with TBDC. “We are very pleased to partner with TBDC to support and advance women entrepreneurship and participation in international trade. Through OWIT-Toronto, TBDC’s Start-up Visa women entrepreneurs and clients will be able to have a soft-landing pad to develop and take their businesses global utilizing OWIT-Toronto’s global networks, resources and export education,” Helen said. “Likewise, OWIT-Toronto members will have the opportunity to seek insights from TBDC’s international clients and acquire knowledge on the dynamism of doing business in respective international markets.”

The strategic partnership between OWIT-Toronto and TBDC is quite timely and beneficial especially now that the COVID- 19 pandemic has put women’s entrepreneurship at a greater risk. Collaborating with like-minded organizations that foster women’s entrepreneurship creates pathways to navigate the crisis for both OWIT-Toronto’s members and TBDC’s clients. The partnership provides for information sharing, best practices and lessons learned which are crucial for businesses to pivot, stay the course and expand in domestic and international markets.