The SVZ Startup Bulletin: May 2025
New funding, city-wide campaigns, and more updates from our portfolio of social ventures this month
By: Nika Bakhtiari
May 29th, 2025
From funding wins to product launches, our founders have been busy pushing boundaries and building momentum. The SVZ Startup Bulletin is our brand new way to keep you in the loop with our busy busy startups - we'll be periodically sharing this roundup of all the good news coming out of our incubated companies! In this month’s edition of The SVZ Startup Bulletin, we’re spotlighting the latest moves, milestones, and missions from our ventures. Read on to get caught up.
VESTA Receives $1.9M in Federal Funding
Longtime SVZ member VESTA Social Innovation Technologies, founded by Lucrezia Spagnolo, has been awarded up to $1.9 million in federal funding from Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) (external link, opens in new window) to support its "Resilience in Action" project (external link, opens in new window) . This two-year initiative is designed to break down barriers for immigrant, refugee, and non-status women who experience gender-based violence.
The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Culture and Identity, Parks Canada and Quebec Lieutenant, who is responsible for the Department of Women and Gender Equality, announced up to $5.9 million for seven projects that will advance gender equality. VESTA received the largest of the seven announced program funds, reflecting a strong investment from Canada’s government in protecting vulnerable women and gender minorities.
With this new federal support, VESTA aims to expand its reach to more marginalized communities. The organization will collaborate with settlement agencies, legal clinics, and community groups to co-design a navigator program, pairing digital tools with human guides who can assist survivors facing complex and intersecting challenges.
Prestar Secures VC Investment from UCeed
This month, SVZ equitable finance startup Prestar, founded by Theleepan Marcandu, received an initial investment from UCeed at the University of Calgary (external link, opens in new window) , joining other high-impact ventures in UCeed’s Social Impact fund. (external link, opens in new window)
“We’re proud to back Theleepan, an impact-driven founder who is obsessed with solving this problem and building a category-defining fintech company grounded in financial dignity and real-world utility.” Uceed said in their announcement. “Even with a simple, hands-on prototype, the response to what he is building has been overwhelming—proof that the current system is failing Canadians, and that there’s a deep hunger for something fairer.”
This is the first VC cheque written for Prestar, something that UCeed shared was intentional, reflecting their “commitment to back founders at the earliest stages — especially those tackling deeply entrenched problems with bold, systems-changing ideas.”
Rise and Repaint Partners with Artist Project
This May, Rise and Repaint partnered with Artist Project (external link, opens in new window) , Toronto's premier contemporary art fair known for its vibrant atmosphere and focus on independent creators. From May 8th to 11th, over 250 artists showcased their work at the Better Living Centre under the theme “Bring Home Big Feelings.” The event attracted collectors, curators, gallerists, and designers, allowing them to discover and purchase original artworks directly from the artists, supporting the next generation of Canadian talent.
As part of the collaboration with Artist Project 2025, Rise and Repaint presented the Professional Development Award to three emerging women and non-binary artists: Maya Skarzenski (external link, opens in new window) , Yunting Li (external link, opens in new window) , and Ehiko Odeh (external link, opens in new window) .
Each recipient received a one-year Inner Circle membership (valued at $540), granting them access to exclusive talks with gallery directors and art professionals, weekly “Art & Chill” sessions and an extensive resource library, guidance for the “Taking Up Space” exhibition, and more.
Ryzome Reveals New Collaboration
At Toronto’s Planted Expo (external link, opens in new window) in May, SVZ venture Ryzome revealed their new collaborative product with BIOS Nutrients (external link, opens in new window) , a 100% natural liquid plant food created from food waste. The product was a hit at the show, and Ryzome has already begun producing an improved second run of the plant food.
By sourcing nutrient-rich byproducts from plant-based food waste, Ryzome founder Lexi Parrott-Mautner is able to create a concentrated liquid fertilizer that boosts soil health, water retention, and nutrient delivery. Just a teaspoon per litre transforms your watering routine into a step toward a greener, zero-waste future. The concentrate promotes healthier growing conditions! Pre-orders are now open.
Mayana Launches Street Poster Campaign
This month, SVZ startup Mayana launched a brand new street campaign focused on combating the censorship of women’s health and bodies. After an extended period of online censorship on social media platforms, the Mayana team decided that the only option to break through the “shadow ban” was to take their message to the streets of Toronto in the form of physical posters.
The poster campaign, which promotes combating stigma in areas such as body image, ageism, and breastfeeding, has begun to pop up on streets all over the city. In their campaign launch post, Mayana asked the community to help spread the message by tagging their social media channels (@wearmayana (external link, opens in new window) and @bustthestigma (external link, opens in new window) ) and sharing the posters on their own social media pages when you spot them around Toronto. Said Mayana, “Let’s flood the streets—and the feed—with our message: it's time to reclaim the narrative. Women’s bodies, needs, and lived experiences shouldn’t be censored.”
Laughing Cat Productions Screens ‘The Sweetest Goodbye’
Laughing Cat Productions' latest short, The Sweetest Goodbye, has been racking up screenings and buzz this month.
The film screened at the Fabliaux Showcase (external link, opens in new window) on May 15th, where it drew a strong turnout of both filmmakers and film-lovers. A second screening was held at the Grand River Film Festival (GRFF) (external link, opens in new window) , on May 22, as part of GRFF's opening night shorts block. Feedback from the audience at both screenings was overwhelmingly positive, with many describing the film as deeply poignant and emotionally impactful.
As part of the film's growing visibility, Schooley was recently featured on ArtsAbly’s “In Conversation” podcast (external link, opens in new window) , discussing The Sweetest Goodbye and the broader context of her creative work. She also made a brief radio appearance on Mix 98.5 (external link, opens in new window) with Coral Andrews on May 16 to promote the Grand River Film Festival and the upcoming local premiere.
HERGhana Spotlighted by Ghana's Leading English Language Radio Station
In a recent feature by MyJoyOnline (external link, opens in new window) , Ghana's leading English broadcasting radio station, the spotlight was cast on SVZ venture HerGhana, founded in 2024 by Mama Adzorhlor III, Queen Mother of Dagbamete. HerGhana is making significant strides in addressing menstrual stigma and providing young women with the resources and education they need to manage their menstrual health confidently.
"Being a young girl from a remote small village, it was difficult during my menstrual period”, Mama shared in the interview. “Going through the stigma it left on me, the confidence it took from me as a young girl has always left a mark. There are so many myths about menstruation, and there is little support for girls in remote areas”.
HerGhana has already created significant impact in schools in Ghana’s Volta and Eastern regions and plans to extend its impact to the Northern Region this May. Each initiative brings the organization closer to its goal of ensuring that no girl misses school due to menstruation.
