Support for Women in Entrepreneurship

Our centre provides programs for self-identifying women who are interested in working or starting a business in Kingston. We help foster a supportive community for individuals to explore entrepreneurship and innovation by offering two different programs: Konnect and The Hive

 

Konnect

Whether you are an entrepreneur, an aspiring entrepreneur, or are pursuing a career in Kingston, Konnect provides a community, support system, and personal and professional development opportunities for self-identifying women.

Start building a professional network that will help you succeed in entrepreneurship or whatever career path you choose.

The program consists of speaker-led workshops on personal and professional development topics and community building meet-ups that will run biweekly from October to March.

Apply to Konnect

Past Speakers

Shari Hughson

COO, Wayfound Mental Health Group & EIR & Faculty at the Smith School of Business

Serial Entrepreneur

Shelby Yee

Co-founder and CEO of RockMass Technologies

Forbes 30 Under 30

Jacie Dehoop

Co-founder at THE GIST

Forbes 30 Under 30

Highlights from Konnect

Top Rated Workshops

  1. Personal Finance
  2. Values & Knowing your Why
  3. Effective Presentations

and 13+ more topics per year!

Favourite Aspects

"Helping women build a foundation for an impactful future."

"Interacting with those starting their professional journeys."

Whether you are simply interested in learning more about entrepreneurship or looking for support, encouragement, and inspiration to start your own business, you will find what you need in the Konnect program. I would know, I started my own firm during Konnect last year. A friend and I created a branding, web design, and e-commerce strategy agency called The Why Makers, Inc. to help makers and creators succeed on their own and scale up their side hustle. As co-founder, COO, and advisor, Konnect helped me find the inspiration and confidence to take the first step to start helping others.

Virginie Bellec
Co-founder, The Why Makers Inc.

The Hive

Getting involved in new things and spreading your wings is hard. How do you know where to start? How do you know if it is right for you? What if it doesn’t work out? 

If these questions sound familiar, you’re in the right place! Join The Hive to see what all the buzz is about. This supportive community provides you with a chance to connect, learn and ask questions (even the “embarrassing” ones) in a judgement free zone.

The Hive is a program for all self-identified women who are looking for a supportive community to explore entrepreneurship, innovation and social impact. We particularly welcome self-identified women from underrepresented groups in The Hive. We believe we have a greater impact on society when we tackle problems from diverse perspectives. Our program participants come from all walks of life and our differences allow us to grow together. 

Bee-come a Member Now

Send us an email at innovation.centre@queensu.ca to let us know you are ready to kick-off your journey at the Hive!

Why The Hive?

Innovative Network

Become an active member of our community while gaining access to a network of seasoned alumni and mentors.

Training & Workshops

Learn from a diverse suite of workshops on topics such as, design thinking, systems thinking and pitching.

One-on-One Mentorship


Receive exclusive mentorship from our team to help guide your personal and professional development.

Match Making


Access the resources and expertise you need to develop a solution to a problem, and find your teammates.