The Government of Canada awards $350,000 in funding to this business in Shefford in the Cantons-de-l'Est
May 3, 2019 - Shefford, Quebec - Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED)
Social.mom, a social network for mothers that aims to relieve the isolation of motherhood, will be able to pursue its growth with the help of a total of $350,000 in contributions from CED. The support will allow the business to develop new functionalities and a marketing strategy.
The funding was announced today by the Honourable David Lametti, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, together with Mr Pierre Breton, Member of Parliament for Shefford. Specifically, Social.mom will use this Government of Canada assistance to hire specialized resources to set up new artificial-intelligence-based functionalities on its platform; develop and market coaching capsules through an optional pay-per-use functionality; and enhance its visibility in the U.S and France.
It was in 2016 that Audrey Poulin, the initiator of the Social.mom project (9336-0428 Québec Inc.) and now a mother of three children, along with her two partners, set up an application that allows users to connect with a network of mothers that live near them, in an atmosphere of trust. Today, the platform counts over 150,000 users in Canada and the U.S.
The Government of Canada is committed to supporting innovative Canadian businesses. A driving force of the economy, innovation is the key to success because it generates growth that benefits both businesses and communities. The Government of Canada is also working to foster the economic empowerment of women. It was with this in mind that it introduced the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, which helps women start up and grow their businesses.
"Our government believes that its assistance for women-owned businesses will help these businesses improve their market access, be competitive and succeed on the international stage. This is why we launched the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy, which aims to double the number of women-owned businesses by increasing their access to sources of funding, networks and guidance. Such investments support women in Quebec, families and our communities across the country."
The Honourable David Lametti, MP for Lasalle-Émard-Verdun, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
"Business leaders and women entrepreneurs in Shefford make a tremendous contribution, day in day out, to the economy of our region. This funding will help a local business become even more successful by allowing it to grow and to expand its current market. Direct investment in women-led businesses is an informed strategic decision of which I am extremely proud."
Pierre Breton, MP for Shefford
"Our government is giving Canadians the means to become more competitive and thrive in the global economy. The funding announced today for Social.com is consistent with Canada's competitive advantages. With its innovative project and its highly promising marketing activities, Social.mom will boost economic growth and will also help create good jobs for middle-class Canadians."
The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister responsible for CED
"CED was a key element in our latest round of funding. The fact that we receive support from the Government of Canada has already opened a number of doors for us. Furthermore, without this program that focuses on women entrepreneurship, we would not have been able to create the content that we will soon be rolling out to assist hundreds of thousands of moms, as well as their children, both nearby and further afield. A huge thank-you to CED for recognizing the technological innovation and market relevance of our product."
Audrey Poulin, Co-Founder and President of Social.mom
Quick facts
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Today's announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister responsible for the Innovation, Science and Economic Development portfolio, which is made up of 17 federal departments and agencies, including CED and the other five regional development agencies.
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A $250,000 repayable contribution was awarded under CED's Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) program. This program targets entrepreneurs who leverage innovation to grow their businesses and make them more competitive, and regional economic stakeholders who help create an entrepreneurial environment conducive to innovation and inclusive growth in all regions.
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A $100,000 non-repayable contribution was provided through the Women Entrepreneurship Fund, part of the Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES). This Strategy, which comes with a budget of almost $2 billion, will help women have easier access to the financing, talent, networks and expertise they require. The WES will allow the government to reach its goal of doubling the number of majority women-owned businesses by 2025.
