Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub

What Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub does

Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH, operating as WEKH-PCFE) is a Canada-focused non-profit knowledge hub that operates a national digital platform and research network for women entrepreneurs and the ecosystem of organizations that support them. Hosted and managed by the Diversity Institute at Toronto Metropolitan University, WEKH is built around a content-and-community stack: an annual State of Women's Entrepreneurship (SOWE) research report, a See It. Be It. role-model database, a Sharing Platform community forum with categorized channels (Ask/Give, Money, Government, Learning Centre, Mentorship, Ecosystem Mapping), an online Research Library, a public Data Dashboard of women-business statistics, and a newsletter subscription. The technology layer is a WordPress-based public web property (wekh.ca) supplemented with a Mailchimp newsletter and standard social channels (LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube); there is no native mobile app, no public API, and no proprietary AI components disclosed.

The organization serves two principal user groups: (i) women entrepreneurs across Canada seeking research, peer networks, mentorship, and navigation of government programs, and (ii) ecosystem organizations and service providers (non-profits, chambers of commerce, business development organizations, and government agencies) that need coordinated research and partnership infrastructure. Reach is pan-Canadian and bilingual (English and French), with content distributed free of charge.

Revenue is generated almost exclusively through institutional grants rather than commercial sales. The Government of Canada is the anchor funder, announcing nearly $4 million in November 2023 to expand partnerships, awareness, and inclusion efforts, with funding records indicating a $2,768,973 tranche; supplementary research funding flows from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). Pricing is zero-cost to end users, so the model is a government/academic grant-funded public-good platform rather than a transactional SaaS or services business. Operations are intentionally lean (1-10 employees) with an academic-government governance structure consistent with a university-hosted research initiative.

Name

Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub

Legal name

Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub

Website

https://wekh.ca

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

WEKH is a Canadian non-profit digital platform and national research network that publishes the annual State of Women's Entrepreneurship report and operates a community forum, mentorship database, research library, and data dashboard serving women entrepreneurs and ecosystem organizations across Canada, funded primarily by federal government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Knowledge Hub / Research Platform

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (54191)

akta.pro primary industry

Q&A and Knowledge Discovery Platforms (BPAMAAAF)

Keywords

• Women entrepreneurship research
• Knowledge hub platform
• Entrepreneur community network
• Small business data
• Research publications

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: WEKH is primarily funded through government grants, notably receiving nearly $4 million from the Canadian government to support partnerships, awareness, and inclusion efforts for women entrepreneurs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

WEKH operates a free digital knowledge hub and national network that aggregates and publishes research, data, and community resources for women entrepreneurs across Canada. Its central offerings are the annual State of Women's Entrepreneurship (SOWE) report, the See It. Be It. role model database, a Sharing Platform community forum, a Research Library, and an interactive Data Dashboard on women-owned businesses.

Product overview

WEKH operates as a national network and accessible digital platform that provides a unified ecosystem of research, resources, and community tools for women entrepreneurs. The core offerings consist of the annual State of Women's Entrepreneurship (SOWE) report, the See It. Be It. mentorship database, and the Sharing Platform community forums. Supporting these are the Research Library and Data Dashboard, which together create a comprehensive knowledge hub for evidence-based strategies to support women entrepreneurs across Canada.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• See It. Be It. A WEKH initiative where women can view a database of successful entrepreneurs to inspire them to become entrepreneurs themselves.
• State of Women's Entrepreneurship (SOWE)

Products and services

• State of Women's Entrepreneurship (SOWE) Annual Report The annual SOWE report is WEKH's flagship research publication synthesizing new research on women entrepreneurship in Canada, covering barriers, enablers, and progress across sectors and regions with an intersectional lens. It serves as the go-to resource for policy makers, ecosystem organizations, and researchers working on women's entrepreneurship.
• See It. Be It. Database A mentorship and visibility platform under WEKH where women can view a database of successful entrepreneurs to inspire them to become entrepreneurs themselves and access mentorship opportunities.
• Sharing Platform (Community Forum) A community forum platform with multiple categories including Ask/Give (networking), Money (financial resources), Government (support navigation), Learning Centre, Mentorship Opportunities, and Ecosystem Mapping for women entrepreneurs to connect, share resources, and find support.
• Research Library An extensive digital library of research publications on women's entrepreneurship in Canada, serving as a knowledge repository for evidence-based strategies for women entrepreneurs, researchers, and policymakers.
• Data Dashboard A data exploration tool providing statistics and visualizations on women entrepreneurs in Canada, including metrics on women-owned businesses, employment contribution, and GDP impact for use by researchers, policymakers, and ecosystem organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20% of Canadian businesses are majority women-owned, contributing to 1 million+ jobs and $100 billion annual GDP

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Diversity Institute (DI) - Toronto Metropolitan UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Diversity Institute at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) hosts and manages WEKH. DI's Director of Research, Dr. Guang Ying Mo, participates in WEKH initiatives. The institute provides research leadership and academic rigor to the network.
• PARO Centre for Women's EnterprisemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPARO is a key ecosystem partner offering webinars, BIZCamps, learning circles, and business support specifically for women entrepreneurs. PARO hosts numerous events posted on the WEKH platform.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Springboard Enterprises: Global network accelerating women-led venture-backed companies through programs, events, and investor connections. Comparable as a women entrepreneurship support and accelerator platform, though focused on high-growth ventures.
• Tory Burch Foundation: U.S.-based foundation supporting women entrepreneurs through fellowship programs, capital, and education. Comparable as a women-focused entrepreneurship support and resource platform.
• Women Presidents' Organization (WPO): Established international peer-to-peer network for women business owners with chapters across multiple countries. Comparable as a global community and resource platform for women entrepreneurs, though U.S.-anchored and broader in scope.
• Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) - Women in Tech: Canadian Crown corporation providing financing and advisory to entrepreneurs, including dedicated programs for women entrepreneurs. Comparable as a federally-supported entrepreneurship support entity in Canada.
• National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO): Long-standing U.S. advocacy organization for women business owners offering networking, education, and policy advocacy. Comparable as a national advocacy and community platform, though U.S.-focused and membership-based.

Direct peers

• Women's Enterprise Organizations of Canada (WEOC): National umbrella organization for women's enterprise support across Canada, providing training, resources, and advocacy. Highly comparable as a national network dedicated to women entrepreneurs in Canada.
• Futurpreneur Canada: Canadian non-profit providing financing, mentorship, and resources to young entrepreneurs (including women). Comparable as a national entrepreneurship support organization with similar audience and government funding model.
• PARO Centre for Women's Enterprise: Canadian non-profit supporting women entrepreneurs through BIZCamps, learning circles, webinars, and business advisory. Already a WEKH ecosystem partner and a leading direct peer in the women entrepreneurship support space in Canada.
• Startup Canada: Canadian national entrepreneurship network and digital platform supporting entrepreneurs with resources, community, and advocacy. Comparable as a national hub and digital platform for entrepreneurs, though not exclusively women-focused.

Others

• Diversity Institute (Toronto Metropolitan University): WEKH's parent institution and host at Toronto Metropolitan University, conducting research and programs on workplace diversity and inclusion. Included as the academic parent and research arm, not a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@wekhpcfe6302
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wekh-pcfe
• Instagraminstagram.com/wekh_pcfe
• Xx.com/wekh_pcfe
• Facebookfacebook.com/WEKHPCFE

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub