For ambitious entrepreneurs who dare to solve the world's biggest challenges

WE ScaleUp Accelerator amplifies your growth and social impact by harnessing WE’s unique purpose-focused expertise and its exclusive network and amplification channels. In 2009, WE launched its social enterprise, ME to WE, to support the work and mission of its partner, WE Charity. In the years following, ME to WE has become a global force for good and is now one of the most successful social enterprises in Canada, impacting the lives of thousands of people worldwide.

We offer resources to develop deep integration of social impact across your venture

  • Dedicated staff that will support overcoming challenges and reaching growth goals
  • First-hand industry expertise in identifying, capturing and measuring your venture’s social impact
  • Unparalleled network of corporate partners and potential investors in your business
  • Coaching from some of the country’s top subject matter experts
  • Integration into a globally renowned social impact ecosystem comprised of an incredibly successful social enterprise led by world-renowned and award-winning social entrepreneurs and one of the world’s leading charities in making doing good doable.

How it works

WE ScaleUp is a 12-week intensive accelerator aimed at propelling socially-conscious and purpose-driven entrepreneurs to address some of society’s greatest challenges through leveraging unparalleled resources. A 100% virtual-enabled accelerator, WE ScaleUp is delivered through a blend of approaches, including but not limited to:

Deep dives

Immersive sessions with company founders to lend practical hands-on expertise

Workshops

Group Advisory sessions with top industry leaders and subject matter experts

Speaker series

Exclusive series with select thought leaders and all-time accomplished doers

Founders only

Peer to peer learning activities among a cohort of thriving entrepreneurs

1:1 Coaching

Office Hours with some of North America’s top subject matter experts


Selection Criteria

Applicants interested in applying to WE ScaleUp must have:


The WE Scale Up accelerator is led by a group of passionate entrepreneurship experts

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Hussam Ayyad

Hussam is a multi-time entrepreneur and business advisor. He brings over 15 years of experience in building and operating companies, as well as building programs to support start-ups at scale by helping them become investable. Most recently, Hussam built the core operation of DMZ, including all programs interfacing with entrepreneurs, investors and corporate backers.

ENTREPRENEUR-IN-RESIDENCE

Jon Worren

Jon is an experienced entrepreneurship and innovation expert. In addition to founding several start-ups, he built one of the world largest entrepreneurship programs while at MaRS Discovery District—servicing more than 10,000 entrepreneurs yearly and helping start-ups become investment ready and drive growth. Jon also built up MaRS Corporate Programming, working with large organizations seeking to improve their innovation strategy and outcomes.

ENTREPRENEUR-IN-RESIDENCE

Rana Fatima

With a background in non-profit development and program delivery, Rana brings over 5 years of experience in developing tools to support Canadian startups. Working at key institutions such as Communitech and DMZ, she has supported a vast range of startups – from ideation to 10M+ revenue scaleups.


The WE Scale Up accelerator is enthusiastically supported by WE's founders and Executive Leadership

Craig Kielburger

Craig is a New York Times bestselling author who has written 12 books. He co-founded WE, a global movement that empowers people with the tools to change the world internationally and in their own communities. Craig is an MBA graduate with 15 honorary doctorates, and has been awarded by the World Economic Forum and Roosevelt Institute. His purpose is helping others discover their purpose.

Marc Kielburger

Rhodes Scholar and humanitarian, Marc Kielburger is co-founder of WE a family of organizations that includes WE Charity, which has helped lift more than one million people out of poverty in Africa, Asia and Latin America, and WE Schools and WE Day, which provide service learning programs to over 18,000 schools, engaging 3.5 million young change-makers. Lastly, he is also the co-founder of ME to WE, a pioneering social enterprise which helps sustain the work of the charitable organization.

Roxanne Joyal

Roxanne’s belief in the transformative potential of social enterprises has taken her from the villages of rural Asia and Africa to the top boardrooms and design showrooms of New York and Los Angeles. As founder of ME to WE Artisans, Roxanne has created an international market for the intricate handiwork of more than 1,800 indigenous women in Kenya and Ecuador, allowing them to lift their families out of poverty and establish themselves as leaders in their communities.

Dalal Al Waheidi

An internship with WE started a 15-year journey to a seat at the head table, steering the WE movement. Dalal grew up affected by war. Those experiences established the themes that have come to define her life and her work: advocating for young people, fighting racism, advancing education and championing young girls. As the Executive Director of Executive Leadership at WE Charity, Dalal’s focus is on moving the strategy of WE forward, overseeing organizational governance, fiscal responsibility and delivering on the promise of making doing good, doable.


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