Meet the Toast Top 25 Women in Tech

Women leaders from MedEssist, Antler, Certn among those honoured at Toast Summit in Calgary.

Twenty-five women were honoured at the Toast Summit in Calgary yesterday for their contributions to Canada’s tech ecosystem. 

In partnership with BetaKit, the Toast Top 25 Women in Tech initiative spotlights women working in tech or tech-adjacent businesses whose impacts on the Canadian innovation economy often go unnoticed.

“There are incredible women in this country doing really cool shit, and they just don’t get profiled enough.”

April Hicke

The winners included Antler partner Shambhavi Mishra, MedEssist CEO Joelle Almeida, and Certn CTO Saba El-Hilo, among other tech executives, venture capitalists, and community leaders. The full list of honourees can be found below.

“It really came from a simple observation,” Toast co-founder and CEO April Hicke said. “There are incredible women in this country doing really cool shit, and they just don’t get profiled enough.” 

Founded in 2022, Toast is a tech recruitment company focused on increasing women’s representation in the industry. It offers inclusive networking and hiring services and hosts events to support and expand opportunities for women and diverse people in the tech industry. 

BetaKit CEO Siri Agrell (L) and Toast CEO April Hicke (R). Image courtesy Sam Doty for Toast.

Nine tech and community leaders comprised the judging panel, including The Fireweed Institute co-founder Jacqueline Jennings, TechTO CEO Marie Chevrier Schwartz, ZayZoon founder Tate Hackert, and Melissa Lisanti, chief of staff of data, digital, and innovation at PwC. The team received over 1,000 submissions. 

At the third annual Toast Summit, speakers discussed hiring strategies, navigating the gender pay gap, and leveraging technology for good.

The event also featured wellness workshops and a market for local, women-owned brands. Hicke and BetaKit CEO Siri Agrell hosted the Toast Top 25 portion of the event.

“To watch a room full of people cheer for these remarkable women from coast to coast was something special,” Hicke said. “The energy was absolutely palpable.” 

She said the diversity of women on the list, across sectors, ages, locations, and backgrounds, showed the many forms innovation can take. 

“These 25 women represent the breadth of talent, vision, and impact happening in Canada right now, and shining a light on them matters.”

The Toast Top 25 Women in Tech

Feature image courtesy Toast.

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