Building an Inclusive Future: QueerTech and Spring Partner to Empower 2SLGBTQ+ Founders

January 1, 1970

At QueerTech, we believe in a world where every 2SLGBTQ+ founder has access to the tools, connections, and funding they need to thrive. Today, we’re thrilled to announce our new partnership with Spring, a national collaboration designed to build a trusted, inclusive founder–funder pipeline that transforms access to capital for queer entrepreneurs across Canada.

This partnership isn’t just about funding — it’s about changing the system that decides who gets to dream, who gets to build, and who gets to lead.

A Shared Vision for Inclusive Entrepreneurship

QueerTech and Spring share a simple but powerful belief: entrepreneurship should be accessible, inclusive, and equitable for everyone. Together, we’re combining our strengths to:

Support 2SLGBTQ+ founders in identifying and raising right-fit capital from values- aligned investors.
Build a safe, affirming environment where queer founders, mentors, and funders can thrive together.
Advance allyship and inclusion across the investment ecosystem.
Celebrate the stories of queer founders shaping Canada’s innovation economy.

“Our collaboration with Spring is about reimagining what an inclusive entrepreneurship ecosystem looks like,” says Naoufel Testaouni, QueerTech’s Co-Founder and CEO. “For too long, queer founders have had to navigate funding systems that weren’t built for them. Together, we’re building something new — a network where belonging and opportunity go hand in hand.”

What This Partnership Will Do

Over the next year, QueerTech and Spring will work together to bring this vision to life through five key pillars of action:

Launching the Inclusive Founder–Funder Pipeline

We’ll start by publicly announcing the partnership this fall, followed by a virtual event at the end of January that brings together founders, investors, and ecosystem partners across the country.

Activating Programs for Founders and Funders

QueerTech founders will gain direct access to Spring’s Scale Ready Elevate, Build, and Grow programs — accelerating their fundraising readiness. We’ll also co-create a mentorship model that trains Entrepreneurs in Residence and Facilitators through QueerTech’s Allyship Training, embedding inclusion into every interaction.

Engaging Communities Across Canada

Together, we’ll co-host founder–investor roundtables at QueerTech’s QT Qonference and QT Connect Meetups, building meaningful connections in cities like Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, and Halifax.

Telling Queer Stories that Inspire Change

We’ll launch a digital storytelling campaign, Queer Founder & Investor Stories, highlighting real journeys of queer entrepreneurs and inclusive investors driving change.

Sustaining and Scaling the Impact

By co-developing joint funding strategies and impact measurement systems, this partnership will serve as a national model for inclusive entrepreneurship and capital access.

“Spring and QueerTech share a deep commitment to inclusion,” says Caroline von Hirschberg, Co-CEO of Spring. “By working together, we’re ensuring that queer founders — and the investors who believe in them — have the tools and community they need to succeed.”

Why This Matters

When we talk about queering tech, we’re not just talking about representation — we’re talking about rebuilding systems so that every queer innovator can see themselves reflected in the future they’re creating.

This partnership is about building bridges — between founders and funders, between innovation and inclusion, and between today’s barriers and tomorrow’s opportunities.

Join Us on This Journey

As we launch this collaboration, we invite you — our community, partners, and allies — to be part of the movement. Whether you’re a founder, investor, mentor, or supporter, there’s a place for you in this growing ecosystem.

Together, we’re building a future where every queer founder has the confidence, capital, and community to thrive.

🌈 Let’s build it, together!

Learn more about our work at queertech.org.

Spring’s mission is to create a world where every business is an impact business & every investor is an impact investor. To achieve this, we are dedicated to providing equitable access to capital for all. We recognize the systemic underfunding of underrepresented founders and prioritize their ventures in our programming, as well as prioritizing education for underrepresented investors. Learn more about Spring at spring.is and their impact-focused VC fund at springimpactcapital.com.