The beginning of 2025 marked a major turning point worldwide. In addition to growing economic threats, we are witnessing a troubling regression in diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts within organizations. In this article published in the 2025 issue of Cap vers la Réussite (CVR) magazine, discover how Maïa's networking model and smart matchmaking platform are helping build a more inclusive economy.
Led by the Réseau des Femmes d'affaires du Québec (RFAQ) and funded by Canada's Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES), the Maïa Inclusive Growth Project plays a vital role in today’s economy. Although women-owned businesses are on the rise, they represent only 19.6% of private businesses in Canada. Even more striking: they secure less than 10% of public contracts and only 1% of contracts from large corporations. This reality hinders their growth and highlights the urgent need to improve their access to economic opportunities.
By fostering connections between women entrepreneurs and companies seeking to diversify their supply chains, the Maïa project helps create a more inclusive and prosperous future. Through training, networking events, certified Maïa inclusive badges, and an AI-powered collaboration platform, we help Canadian women entrepreneurs develop skills and access new, more diverse markets.
In business, having a strong network is a powerful asset. In-person networking is a valuable resource that helps attract clients, find ideas or solutions, and explore partnerships. Maïa Inclusive Growth Discovery Mornings were created to encourage collaboration by bringing together inclusive buyers and diverse suppliers under one roof. As RFAQ President Ruth Vachon explains, "An event like this allows women entrepreneurs to ensure the profitability of their businesses by collaborating with major companies. It’s the new way of doing business."
Held across Canada, these events have attracted hundreds of women entrepreneurs seeking inspiring discussions. Through roundtable sessions, they engaged with each buyer to grow their businesses and build new relationships. Many are already seeing positive results—from meaningful connections to concrete offers. Some even collaborate with one another to generate new contracts.
In this era of renewed focus on local purchasing, building Canadian partnerships is a powerful way to address the funding access challenges many women-led businesses face. Maïa offers the solution: by accessing large corporate procurement opportunities, entrepreneurs obtain the supporting documentation they need to secure financing. When powered by community, anything is possible.
In the context of inclusive entrepreneurship, roundtables promote experience sharing, opening doors to collaboration and highlighting best practices. They showcase each entrepreneur’s unique expertise, serving as a launchpad for new opportunities. Most importantly, they create human connection, the true driver of business growth. For Véronique Poirier of Eco Loco, who attended the Montreal event, the impact was immediate. Maïa helped her connect directly with qualified buyers who understood her needs. “The networking morning was an enriching learning experience. They gave us a turnkey formula to participate in calls for tenders and explained the inner workings of their procurement process."
AI is everywhere, offering powerful possibilities to support inclusive, thriving business models. Yet, according to a recent study, women-led businesses are less likely to adopt it—with an adoption rate of just 12.3%. The Maïa Connex platform uses an intelligent algorithm to connect women entrepreneurs with large corporations. Always accessible, it continuously scans the market to identify opportunities that match each business’s unique profile. This helps women overcome barriers to joining major supply chains. As a symbol of a new era of inclusive trade in Canada, Maïa Connex offers a dynamic environment where women-led businesses benefit from AI-driven growth support. A search feature also lets users filter for highly targeted opportunities. With invitation-only tenders, a directory of women-owned businesses, promotional showcase pages, and AI-powered connections, Maïa Connex helps users quickly identify suppliers aligned with diversity and inclusion goals. Whether you're searching, bidding, or buying, this platform adapts to your prospecting needs.
According to the Government of Canada, women-owned businesses contribute $150 billion to the national economy and employ more than 1.5 million people. Greater gender equality could add another $150 billion to Canada’s GDP by 2026. Clearly, equitable access to markets is an essential economic lever. Especially when women-majority businesses show an impressive 38% overall innovation rate. Integrating these businesses into supply chains must become a priority. The Maïa project plays a key role in this. By promoting inclusive sourcing, it supports corporate ESG goals, strengthens supply chains, drives nationwide purchasing, fosters innovation, and boosts our global competitiveness. AI is a powerful ally in achieving this mission. Maïa Inclusive Growth provides in-person and virtual support to women entrepreneurs, helping them understand procurement processes, offering visibility, and connecting them to real business opportunities.
Today, Maïa Inclusive Growth is a springboard for equal opportunity. It reflects a deep commitment to supplier diversity and the economic growth of women entrepreneurs in Canada. Paired with the innovative Maïa Connex platform, it transforms how women access business opportunities. Maïa is a movement for empowerment and growth—in Canada and beyond. Join the thousands of Maïapreneurs already leading the way!
As a project of the Quebec Business Women’s Network (QBWN/RFAQ), one of our main goals is building awareness and education through training and workshops on an array of topics. So, if you are a large business seeking to overcome challenges and engage with diverse suppliers, we are here to provide you with the information you need and to offer guidance. Maïa Connex is also a platform that serves as a hub for business opportunities across Canada, and we hold networking events along with our partners.
Regardless of where you are in your journey with supplier diversity, we encourage you to sign up for our training programs, which are offered online here :
To take your network of diverse suppliers to the next level, or to facilitate your integration into supply chains, join our platform. We also invite you to sign up to stay tuned for future blog posts. In addition, you will be notified of any updates and upcoming workshop.