EMERGE: Queer Entrepreneur Development Program

Information for Participants

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Are you a 2SLGBTQ+ individual living in Manitoba? Are you thinking about starting a business or have recently started one, but could use some advice to scale up? Do you want to build community with other queer entrepreneurs and business owners? If you answered yes to these questions, you won’t want to miss this opportunity!

This September, the Manitoba LGBT* Chamber of Commerce will launch EMERGE, the Chamber’s Queer Entrepreneur Development Program for 2SLGBTQ+ entrepreneurs living and working in Manitoba. Thanks to funding from Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce and the Government of Canada, we will run our first-ever six-month program cohort specifically designed for Manitoba entrepreneurs in the 2SLGBTQ+ community to gain essential business skills and strategies and build a supportive network of mentors and colleagues in the process.

Through workshops, networking events, group discussions, and regular one-on-one meetups with their mentors, participants will increase their confidence and knowledge to start or grow their businesses.

Participants in this program can expect to:

  • Learn from experienced queer entrepreneurs and professionals
  • Build connections with other new or early-career queer entrepreneurs
  • Develop and enhance foundational business skills and strategies around relevant topics
  • Learn how to increase the visibility and growth potential of their businesses
  • Create long-term, sustainable pathways for success in the Manitoba business ecosystem

 

WHY PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM?

Starting and growing a business takes more than a good idea — it takes knowledge, strategy, support, and resilience. For entrepreneurs in the 2SLGBTQ+ community, the journey can come with additional challenges: navigating systemic barriers, finding inclusive mentorship, and accessing spaces where identity is not just accepted, but celebrated.

The EMERGE program is intentionally designed to meet those unique needs. It offers queer entrepreneurs the opportunity to develop essential business skills — from marketing and finance to leadership and growth strategy — while being fully supported in their identities. Through expert-led workshops, hands-on guidance, and one-on-one mentorship sessions, participants will gain practical tools to build thriving, sustainable ventures and will join a powerful network of queer founders, mentors, and changemakers who understand the value of chosen family in business.

Whether you’re just starting out or scaling up your business, EMERGE will provide the foundation, the connections, and the confidence to move forward — not just as a business owner, but as your full self. Because when queer entrepreneurs have the tools and the support they need, they don’t just succeed — they redefine what success looks like.

 

TIMELINE & PROGRAM COMPONENTS

The first program cohort will start mid-September 2025 with a launch event and will run until mid-March 2026, concluding with a wrap-up event (exact dates TBD). A series of evening workshops will be offered during the course of the program, and regular mentor-mentee meetups and group check-ins will be facilitated based on participant schedules.

Applications for our first EMERGE cohort will be available soon, so stay tuned!

Program Components

Launch Event

Our kickoff event in September will officially launch the EMERGE program. Participants and mentors will hear more about what’s in store for the cohort and begin their program journey with good food and good company. The broader Chamber community will be invited to attend as well to celebrate the program’s launch, meet the mentors and participants, and learn more about the program components. This not-to-be-missed event will set the cohort up for success and start building connections between 2SLGBTQ+ entrepreneurs and professionals from the get-go.

Mentor-Mentee Meetups

Connections are a cornerstone of success in any entrepreneurial journey — and they hold unique, transformative value in the context of a 2SLGBTQ+ entrepreneur development program. EMERGE’s Mentor-Mentee Meetups are designed to foster authentic connection, trust, and shared insight between queer-identifying mentors and participants navigating similar lived experiences in the world of business.

Mentors will be matched with Mentees (program participants) based on matching requests and the needs expressed in the applications. While there is no prescribed number of meetups required for Mentors and Mentees, we encourage both parties to determine the appropriate number of meetups based on their own needs and schedules. At minimum we recommend meeting at least three times throughout the course of the program.

Meetups may be done in-person, but in order to facilitate the participation of those who live in rural and more remote parts of Manitoba, other methods may be used, including video calls, phone calls, and/or emails.

Mentor-Mentee Meetups are designed to tackle questions such as:

  • What is it like being a queer business owner?
  • How do I meet my goals as an entrepreneur?
  • How can I navigate the challenges I might face in starting a business?
  • What advice do you have to someone who is just starting out in the business world?
  • And more!
Group Check-Ins

The EMERGE program will include a group orientation at the beginning for Mentors and Participants, as well as one or two additional calls to check in with participants and provide a space for the group to connect with each other and share what they are learning in the program, how the meetups with their mentors are going, and any real-life challenges and successes they may be experiencing as a current or future entrepreneur. The Group Check-ins will take place via video call and will be scheduled at a time that is convenient for the cohort.

Educational Workshops

Exact Topics, Speakers, and Details TBC – Check back in the summer for more details!

Regular workshops will focus on core business themes, providing participants with practical tools, templates, and case studies they can immediately apply to their businesses. The workshops will address specific challenges faced by 2SLGBTQ+ entrepreneurs, with content tailored to diverse business sectors. In-person sessions will be scheduled in the evenings and will be available via livestream and/or videorecording following the event. Sessions will also be open to the Chamber’s membership and the broader queer business community.

Wrap-Up Event

The wrap-up event will celebrate the achievements and growth of the EMERGE participants. This final gathering in March 2026 will spotlight participant progress through engaging presentations, offer valuable reflections from mentors, and highlight inspiring success stories and key takeaways from the cohort. The Chamber will also share insights that shaped this journey and invite feedback to help evolve and strengthen future iterations of the program.

DELIVERY METHOD

In-person or virtual: Take your pick!

While the program will be based in Winnipeg on Treaty One Territory, with in-person workshops and sessions held in various locations throughout the city, virtual participation will also be available. Participants from rural Manitoba and more remote areas of the province may take part in video, phone, and/or email check-ins with mentors and will have access to the workshops via livestream and/or videorecordings following the event.

 

COST

Thanks to funding from Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce and the Government of Canada, the program is offered FREE of charge for participants.

What’s included:

  • Attendance at launch and wrap-up events
  • Attendance at all program workshops/sessions
  • Attendance at Group Check-ins
  • Regular check-ins with your assigned mentor
  • Access to workshop video library
  • Access to exclusive program resources
  • One-year complimentary individual membership to the Chamber, which gives you:
    • Discounts to other Chamber workshops & events
    • Opportunities to network with Manitoba’s wider 2SLGBTQ+ business community
    • Access to member-to-member discounts
    • Subscription to the Chamber’s e-newsletter
    • Business referral opportunities
    • Local issue representation
    • Affiliate membership with Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC)
    • Volunteer governance & leadership opportunities
    • Vote at the Chamber’s Annual General Meeting
    • And more!

Application coming soon!

FAQs