BDC

The Thrive Venture Fund is the direct-investment vehicle within BDC Capital's Thrive Platform for Women, a $500M investment platform launched in 2022 and described as the largest of its kind in the world, created to close the equity gap faced by women-led companies in Canada. The platform comprises the $300M Thrive Venture Fund, a $100M indirect investment envelope that backs other funds, and the $100M Thrive Lab for equity and equity-like investments in women-led social-impact businesses. Operated by BDC, the Business Development Bank of Canada, the Thrive Venture Fund makes direct equity investments in women-led Canadian technology companies at the seed and Series A and B stages, remaining sector agnostic while targeting businesses with strong growth and scalable market potential, and it is willing to lead. It builds on the firm's pioneering Women in Technology (WIT) Venture Fund, which made 38 investments and recorded successful exits including Beanworks, Kira Talent, Unsplash and Nudge. The fund is led by Managing Partner Mona Minhas, who succeeded long-time women's-fund leader Michelle Scarborough, with partners Steven Abrams, Thomas Green and Kimberly Yeung. Portfolio companies span AI, biotech, health, robotics and consumer sectors and include Waabi in autonomous driving, Sanctuary AI in humanoid robotics, SRTX/Sheertex in advanced textiles, Bridgit in construction tech, Eli Health, Private AI, Omy Laboratoires, Congruence Therapeutics, Radiant Biotherapeutics and Puzzle Medical. By dedicating significant institutional capital to women-led companies, the Thrive Venture Fund works to close Canada's gender-equity gap in venture funding.