― AI, cybersecurity and defence take centre stage as women-led startups step into new sectors. ―Canada's innovation ecosystem has made significant strides in supporting women entrepreneurs in recent years, and the DMZ Women Innovation Summit has been at the centre of that momentum.The fourth annual Women Innovation Summit took place in Toronto on March 20, 2026, bringing together founders, investors and industry leaders to spotlight women-led companies building the future of technology.Inside This Year's SummitAt the centre of this year's Summit, in partnership with Elevate, was a live pitch competition where 10 women-led startups from across Canada took the stage to present their companies.The finalists spanned sectors including AI, women's reproductive health, climate tech and AI-powered readiness intelligence for defence leaders, reflecting the breadth of impact women founders are driving across Canada's startup ecosystem.New this year, founders participated in a Fundraising Bootcamp in the weeks leading up to the Summit, designed to strengthen their narratives, financial models and overall readiness for investor conversations. Having gone through the program, each founder stepped onto the Summit stage prepared and investor-ready.The Winners: $210,000 CAD in InvestmentDMZ Ventures led this year's investments, with terms currently being finalized.July Health ($100,000 CAD) is a virtual reproductive health clinic providing early diagnosis and preventative care. Founder and CEO Julie Mai reflected on the win: "For the last two years we've been bootstrapping, doing the best we could, and now we know our business works. This investment means we can help more Canadians get there a lot faster. It feels exciting, but also relieving that this is finally being recognized."Knead Technologies ($50,000 CAD) is an all-in-one platform that helps organizations reduce food waste.ClassClown ($50,000 CAD) is a voice-based AI learning platform that delivers personalized learning at scale.In a surprise announcement, Isabelle Hudon, President and CEO of BDC, presented a $10,000 CAD grant to Haibu Health, a digital health company supporting diabetes patients and their care teams. Haibu Health was named the most courageous company of the event, a reflection of one of BDC's core values.What the Theme "All In" MeansThis year's theme, All In, called for moving beyond dialogue and into action.The message was clear: founders, investors, operators, policymakers and allies share a collective responsibility to build a more inclusive innovation economy, and meaningful change requires commitment from everyone at the table.A highlight of the event was a fireside chat with Isabelle Hudon, President and CEO of BDC, who was named DMZ's 2026 Woman of the Year in recognition of her leadership and her ongoing commitment to expanding access and opportunity for entrepreneurs across Canada. In conversation, Hudon offered a front-row perspective on the moment Canada's innovation economy is in, speaking about capital flows, shifting global priorities and the rise of sectors like AI and defence as major opportunities for founders.The Summit also featured a panel discussion with women executives exploring how shifting global priorities, including increased investment in cybersecurity, space technologies and dual-use technologies, are opening new entry points for startups. The accelerating presence of women founders in AI, cybersecurity and defence was a thread that ran throughout the day's conversations.Women Innovation Programs: Four Years of ImpactSince its inaugural Summit in 2023, the Women Innovation Summit has grown into one of Canada's leading gatherings dedicated to advancing women in innovation. To date, more than 2,000 attendees have joined, with 40 women founders taking the stage to pitch their companies.Across DMZ's broader Women Innovation Programs, more than 4,200 women founders have been supported, with companies collectively raising over $522 million CAD in capital."Women founders across Canada are building in some of the most important and fast-moving sectors right now," said Abdullah Snobar, Executive Director of DMZ. "As areas like AI, cybersecurity and defence quickly evolve, there is a real opportunity for founders to step in and lead. Our goal this year was to not only spotlight that opportunity, but to help founders understand where they fit and how to move."DMZ remains committed to ensuring women entrepreneurs are not just included, but positioned to lead in the sectors shaping what comes next, and will continue to expand the programs and platforms that make that possible.