SASC and Accelerator Centre Partner to Foster Equitable Workplaces and Empower Women and Gender-Diverse Individuals in Tech

January 9, 2025 - [Waterloo, ON] – The Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region (SASC) and Accelerator Centre (AC) are proud to announce our new groundbreaking partnership, made possible through the financial support of Women and Gender Equality Canada’s (WAGE) Women’s Program, to break down barriers for women and gender diverse individuals in STEM fields and entrepreneurship.

This partnership will leverage SASC's expansion of the #RaiseTheBar Training by launching its Disrupting Gender Bias Startups (DGBS) program and the Accelerator Centre's new AC:Incubate+ framework to provide mentorship, education, and actionable tools for women and gender-diverse individuals in STEM and entrepreneurship. By addressing systemic workplace barriers such as ineffective policy, burnout culture, gendered distribution of labour, and workplace harassment, the partnership aims to create more equitable environments, empowering participants to advance their careers and drive systemic change in their fields.

The economic and social benefits of diversity in leadership and STEM fields are clear. Research indicates that companies with diverse leadership are 25% more likely to outperform their peers and experience enhanced innovation and profitability. Despite this, women make up just 29% of the STEM workforce globally and, in Canada, only 17% of all private sector businesses were majority-owned by women.

This unique collaboration merges SASC's expertise in fostering social change and creating equitable workplaces with the AC's award-winning programs for early-stage technology companies, amplifying the reach and impact of both organizations.

Expanding Proven Programs to Remove Systemic Barriers

Through this collaboration:

• SASC is expanding its Raise the Bar training with the launch of the Disrupting Gender Bias in Startups (DGBS) Program. This initiative will offer feminist education to tech leaders, equipping them to dismantle systemic barriers faced by women and gender-diverse individuals in the workplace. Over nine weeks, participants will critically examine how traditional work environments contribute to issues like sexual harassment and inequities. They will also receive support to develop actionable plans for fostering more equitable and inclusive workplaces, guided by the principles of Feminist Entrepreneurship.

• The AC is broadening its AC:Incubate program by launching the AC:Incubate+ program, offering tailored resources to help women and gender diverse founders scale technology companies and build the best-practices of diverse and equitable workplaces into their businesses from day-one. Over the course of six months, participants will gain access to advanced content, exclusive peer networking groups, targeted workshops, educational opportunities, and customized resources designed to empower women and gender-diverse founders.

Applications for the AC:Incubate+ and DGBS program are designed for women and gender diverse founders in tech. The AC:Incubate+ Program application will open on January 9, 2025, and the DGBS applications will open shortly after.

Quotes

"Lasting change happens when we all come together—governments, schools, organizations, and industries—to make sure women and gender-diverse people also have the support they need to lead and thrive. By working with the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region and the Accelerator Centre, our government is helping break down barriers in STEM and entrepreneurship so that more people have real opportunities to succeed and contribute to the growth and strength of our economy." Bardish Chagger, Member of Parliament for Waterloo, Ontario

“We are thrilled to partner with SASC on this important collaboration. At the AC, we believe that fostering innovation starts with fostering inclusion. Women and gender-diverse individuals are key to Canada’s tech ecosystem, both as founders and employees, but systemic barriers still limit their opportunities. Thanks to funding from Women and Gender Equality Canada, this initiative will support more women and gender-diverse individuals as they launch and grow businesses while shaping inclusive workplaces for the future of Canadian tech,” Tabatha Laverty, VP of Marketing and External Relations, AC.

“True gender equity in the workplace demands more than policies. It requires dismantling ingrained biases and inequitable structures. At SASC, we want to be part of transforming workplace cultures by fostering environments where equity is embedded in leadership practices, policies, and daily interactions. This partnership is about shifting leadership culture so that women and gender-diverse individuals are genuinely valued, supported, and empowered to lead. By building workplaces where inclusion and equity are the foundation, we create spaces where everyone can thrive, and sexual harassment has no place,” Sara Casselman, Executive Director, SASC.

Join the Movement

With the generous support of WAGE, both the AC:Incubate+ Program of AC:Incubate and the Disrupting Gender Bias in Startups (DGBS) Program of Raise the Bar programs will be made available free of charge.

Applications for the AC:Incubate+ Program of AC:Incubate are open from January 9 to January 23, 2025, with programming beginning in February 2025. Apply here.

Organizations interested in participating in the Raise the Bar program can stay tuned for application details in the coming weeks.

About

Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region

For 35 years, the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region (SASC) has wrapped survivors of sexual violence in community care, offering counselling, court support, advocacy, and more. In addition to our direct services for survivors, SASC’s Public Education Program works to create social change by developing and providing curriculum, workshops, and resource materials to schools, professionals, organizations, and the community. SASC empowers individuals and workplaces to prevent and address gender-based violence. To learn more, visit www.sascwr.org.

Accelerator Centre

At the AC, we exist to help ambitious dreamers impact global change through their businesses. The AC is ranked among the World's Top 5 private business accelerators by UBI Global. We offer an extensive selection of customizable opportunities for startups across Canada—allowing founders to rapidly bring their innovation to life. We work with our global partners to bolster the innovation ecosystem in Waterloo and beyond. Learn more at acceleratorcentre.com.

Acknowledgement of Funding

This project has been funded through Women and Gender Equality Canada's Women's Program.

For additional information about this release, please contact:

Karley Doucette
Public Education Manager
Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region
[email protected]

Tabatha Laverty
VP, Marketing and External Relations
Accelerator Centre
[email protected]