EDL receives cash injection for women entrepreneurs

By Justin Seward - Lethbridge Herald on June 4, 2022.

Economic Development Lethbridge received a $500,000 boost on Thursday as the organization was a part of Alberta Innovates Rural Women Entrepreneurs in Tech (RWEIT) announcement.
The funding will allow EDL to deliver programming to the RWEIT across Alberta and allow the organization to continue the momentum of Women Entrepreneurs in STEM (WESTEM) science, technology, engineering and math.
“I mean the organization (at) Economic Development Lethbridge, we’re very excited that Alberta Innovates has given us $500,000 to help entrepreneurs,” said Mark Neskar, Economic Development Lethbridge director of marketing and communications.
“Rural women entrepreneurs not just in southern Alberta, but across the province. So it’ll be a little bit different than what we’ve done in the past with WESTEM which is more southern Alberta focused. This funding is province wide, so we’ll be expanding our reach a little bit with some of the services we offer.”
EDL’s funding was a part of 14 projects that were funded through the $9-million Alberta Innovates Pilot program.
“One of our pillars in the business plan is entrepreneurship and innovation,” he said.
“You know some of the work we’ve done in the past decade with Tecconnect and then as we moved to RINSA, which is the Regional Innovation Network of Southern Alberta and then through WESTEM, it’s a very important pillar that we can be some of the touch points and some of the helpers and some of the network for entrepreneurs looking to move into technology and innovation.”
Some of the funding will go towards a dedicated team that will help with programming, marketing, and administrative, said Neskar.
“Most of the other stuff will go to delivering the programs and making sure we have the pieces in place that we can offer the best experience for rural women entrepreneurs,” he said.
RWEIT will continue to offer learning opportunities, business advisory services and networking at no cost to rural women entrepreneurs who are working in technology in the province.