The 51 Ventures

What The 51 Ventures does

The51 Ventures is a Calgary-headquartered financial platform and venture firm founded in 2019 by Shelley Kuipers, Judy Fairburn, and Alice Reimer, operating a multi-product ecosystem built around activating women's capital into women-led ventures across Canada. The firm manages three venture funds (Fund I launched 2020, Fund II, and Fund III with a $30M first close anchored by BMO and 17 women co-anchors) that invest from pre-seed to Series A across technology, health, sustainability, and consumer sectors. It complements its fund vehicles with four membership tiers (Investor, Associate at ~$40/month, free Founder, and Corporate), the sister nonprofit Movement51 delivering Founder Lab and Investor Lab education programs, the annual XX Summit rotating across Canadian cities, an Art & Investment Retreat, and alternative investments such as community ownership in Calgary Wild FC.

The platform does not operate proprietary technology infrastructure beyond a member-facing website with social login (Facebook, LinkedIn); no public API, SDK, or developer tooling is offered. The underlying business model is multi-stream: management fees and carried interest on fund AUM (with $71M+ capital activated across 200+ ventures to date), recurring membership subscriptions, and transaction-based fees on alternative investments. GTM is community-led, anchored by a 48,000+ accredited-investor and founder network distributed across Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal, with earned media in Bloomberg, CBC, Financial Post, Pitchbook, The Globe and Mail, and The Logic amplifying reach.

Operationally, The51 has scaled from 75 founding members to a national ecosystem reporting 25,000+ members at its five-year anniversary in 2024 and 48,000+ community members more recently, while deploying $71M+ in capital and activating a sister-education nonprofit (Movement51) whose Founder Lab alumni have raised $58M+. The organization holds the "Financial Feminist™" trademark and targets activating $2.5B of women-led capital by 2030 alongside Movement51.

Name

The 51 Ventures

Legal name

The51 Ventures

Website

https://the51.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The51 Ventures is a Calgary-based financial platform and venture firm that manages three venture funds and a membership ecosystem for accredited women investors, deploying capital into women-led Canadian ventures from pre-seed to Series A alongside education and alternative-investment programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Other Financial Vehicles (525990)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Thematic / Sector-Focused Multi-Manager Platforms (FSANAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Gender Lens / Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Funds (FSANAJAM), Regional / Country-Focused Multi-Manager Platforms (FSANAGAI), Venture Capital Fundraising Placement (FSAEALAC)

Keywords

• Venture capital funds
• Women founder investing
• Investor membership programs
• Early-stage equity funding
• Venture fund management

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Venture Fund Management: The51 manages venture funds (Fund I, II, III) that invest in women-led ventures from pre-seed to Series A. Revenue is generated through management fees and carried interest from fund returns.
2. Membership Subscriptions: The51 generates revenue through tiered membership subscriptions including Investor Membership (for accredited investors), Associate Membership (for those learning about capital markets), and Founder Membership (free for women founders). Membership fees sustain community programs and ecosystem development.
3. Alternative Investments: The51 creates alternative investment opportunities such as community ownership in women's sports teams (e.g., Calgary Wild FC) and art investment retreats, generating revenue through co-investment structures.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The51 is a financial platform and venture firm that manages three venture funds (Fund I, II, III) deploying capital from pre-seed to Series A into women-led ventures across Canada. It complements fund management with tiered community memberships (Investor, Associate, Founder, Corporate), nonprofit education programs through Movement51 (Founder Lab, Investor Lab), curated event experiences (XX Summit, Art & Investment Retreat), and alternative co-investment opportunities such as community ownership in Calgary Wild FC. The platform connects accredited investors with women-led portfolio companies through a national community of 48,000+ members.

Product overview

The51 is a financial platform and venture firm that operates as a multi-product ecosystem. The core offering consists of three venture funds (Fund I, Fund II, and Fund III) investing from pre-seed to Series A in women-led ventures, complemented by tiered membership programs (Investor, Associate, Founder, and Corporate) providing access to deal flow, education, and community. The nonprofit education arm, Movement51, delivers Founder Lab and Investor Lab programs building capital confidence. The company also facilitates alternative investments like the Calgary Wild FC community ownership initiative, hosts the annual XX Summit conference, and produces The51 Art & Investment Retreat. All offerings are connected through a national community of over 48,000 accredited investors, founders, and allies focused on activating women's capital.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Movement51: National nonprofit delivering education in early-stage investing and founder funding, preparing women with knowledge, tools, and confidence to raise capital, invest, and lead.
• The51 Fund I
• The51 Fund II
• The51 Fund III
• XX Summit
• The51 Art & Investment Retreat

Products and services

• The51 Fund I The51's inaugural venture fund launched in 2020, unifying a capital community with over 90% women investors and deploying capital into a diverse portfolio of women-led ventures. Portfolio companies have secured follow-on raises and expanded into new markets. For accredited investors.
• The51 Fund II The51's second venture fund actively investing in high-potential ventures across technology, health, and sustainability with disciplined capital deployment and growing network support. For accredited investors.
• The51 Fund III The51's newest $30 million venture fund investing from pre-seed to Series A in women founders building the future of health, wealth, and work. Anchored by BMO with 17 women co-anchors, targeting scalable, technology-enabled companies. For accredited investors.
• Investor Membership Accredited investor membership offering direct access to The51 Funds, curated deal flow, and a trusted network shaping early-stage markets. Requires accreditation verification and a 3-year commitment.
• Associate Membership Membership for emerging investors ready to learn about capital markets, offering access to expert-led education, community insights, and pathways to build confidence before deploying capital. Priced approximately $40/month with a 3-month initial commitment. Open to anyone regardless of accreditation.
• Founder Membership Free membership for women founders ready to scale, connecting them to The51's ecosystem, curated resources, and founder-only opportunities designed to accelerate growth and visibility.
• Corporate Membership Membership designed for organizations and family offices ready to engage with a high-impact network of investors and founders, extending the power of capital and community across entire teams. Custom team arrangements supported by The51 staff.
• Movement51 Education Programs National nonprofit delivering best-in-class education in early-stage investing and founder funding. Founded in 2020, Movement51 prepares women with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to raise capital, invest with purpose, and lead in Canada's economy. Has trained 652+ women investors.
• Founder Lab Program for women founders ready to raise external investment, turning ambition into strategy through expert-led sessions, personalized mentorship, and curated investor connections. Alumni have raised $58M+ in pre-seed and seed funding and rated the program 100 NPS.
• Investor Lab Program for emerging investors taking the leap from interest to informed action, offering guidance, clarity, and trusted community to step into early-stage investing with confidence. Alumni have invested $13M+ in personal capital.
• XX Summit Canada's largest gathering of women-led capital, bringing together investors, founders, and ecosystem leaders. Sold-out events held in Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto, with Calgary hosting 350+ women shaping the ecosystem in 2026. Ticketed annual conference.
• The51 Art & Investment Retreat Three-day immersive experience combining artistic exploration with Laura Harris and exclusive sessions on alternative investments with Leah Bennett. Limited to 12 participants at Oak Bay Beach Hotel, Victoria BC in July 2026.
• Calgary Wild FC Community Ownership Community-powered ownership opportunity in professional women's soccer through Calgary Wild FC. Raised $1.14M with 86% women represented in ownership and 70% female fanbase. Alternative investment allowing investors to fuel representation in sport and build equity in cultural assets.

Quantifiable outcome

• 36% of portfolio led by Women CEOs, outperforming industry average of less than 10%
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• OslerminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOsler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP is a legal partner providing expertise. Colleen Moorehead, Board Chair of The51, previously served as Chief Client Officer at Osler.
• Movement51coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMovement51 is The51's sister nonprofit organization delivering best-in-class education to equip women with knowledge, tools, and confidence to raise capital, invest with purpose, and lead. Founded in 2020, Movement51 has trained 652+ women investors and its Founder Lab participants have raised $58M+ in funding.
• Calgary Wild FCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2023, The51 partnered to bring professional women's soccer to Calgary through community-powered ownership. The $1.14M raise had 86% women represented in ownership and 70% female fanbase.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Backstage Capital: A US-based venture fund focused on founders of color, women, and LGBTQ+ founders with a community-driven platform model. Directly comparable to The51's mission of activating underrepresented capital and backing overlooked founders.
• Female Founders Fund: A New York-based early-stage venture fund focused exclusively on female-founded companies. Direct peer to The51 as both operate as thematic, gender-lens VC platforms building communities of women investors and backing women-led companies.
• Golden Seeds: One of the largest early-stage investment firms focused on women-led companies, with an angel network and fund structure. Comparable to The51's combination of accredited investor community and women-focused fund deployment.
• StandUp Ventures: A Canadian early-stage venture fund investing in women-led technology companies. Closest Canadian peer to The51 with similar gender-lens thesis and focus on pre-seed to seed-stage Canadian founders.
• SoGal Ventures: A global venture firm investing in diverse founders with a strong community/network-led model across multiple geographies. Comparable to The51 in combining fund management with community building and brand-driven investor activation.

Broad incumbents

• Real Ventures: One of Canada's most active early-stage venture funds with a strong founder-community orientation. Comparable as a Canadian seed/Series A investor with community-driven ethos, though broader in sector focus than The51.
• Inovia Capital: A leading Canadian VC firm backing technology companies across stages. Comparable as a Canadian institutional venture investor with overlapping geography and some portfolio overlap with The51's women-led focus.
• BDC Capital: Canada's business development bank with dedicated venture capital and growth equity programs including Thrive Lab (where The51 is an Investment Partner). Comparable as a Canadian institutional capital allocator with overlapping portfolio and LP relationships.

Others

• MaRS Discovery District: Canada's largest urban innovation hub supporting startups through programs, capital connections, and community. Comparable ecosystem player operating in Toronto with programming, events, and founder/investor support similar to The51's XX Summit and Movement51 programs.

Emerging players

• Cross-Border Impact Ventures: A Canadian impact-focused VC firm investing in health, sustainability, and economic inclusion with a gender lens. Comparable thematic overlap with The51's focus on women-led ventures addressing social and economic challenges.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the51
• Instagraminstagram.com/the51ventures/?hl=en
• Xx.com/_The51

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments57 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The 51 Ventures