Victoria-based W Venture has launched the second year of its Growth Program, bringing 18 women-led technology ventures into a 12-month accelerator designed to help them scale. Seven of the companies are from Vancouver Island.
The program comes off a strong first year that delivered a Net Promoter Score of 97, generated $2.7 million in revenue growth, and created 23 new full-time jobs. The 2026 cohort includes companies working across cleantech, food systems, health, sustainability, SaaS, and community-driven technologies from communities throughout BC.
Vancouver Island companies in the cohort include:
FrameBright (technology for healthier digital habits)
RecStaff (workforce scheduling for parks and recreation)
Remarkable Communications (Indigenous-led digital storytelling)
Smart Parent Canada (evidence-based parenting education)
Yogi Tunes (licensed music for yoga and healing arts)
Fit Feels Good (sustainable health and nutrition)
Puzzle Lab (plastic-free puzzles)
Laurel Ann Stark from Remarkable Communications, one of the Vancouver Island participants, says the program stands out from other group coaching experiences. "There's a reason this is called an accelerator," she said. "If you're a female founder looking for a high-performance community with world-class coaching and training, I highly recommend applying."
The Growth Program runs for 12 months and combines monthly peer accountability sessions, quarterly expert-led pods on topics like AI integration and capital strategy, and one-on-one coaching. Participants work with scale-up advisors to develop growth strategies and get exposure to investors and markets.
The program is funded in part by the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program. The new cohort includes both returning ventures and new participants working on solutions ranging from size-inclusive fashion and reusable menstrual care to sea-botanical skincare and carbon-free electric carts.