Joelle Foster

Joelle Foster is a seasoned entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience working with start-ups. In February 2020, she became the CEO of North Forge Technology Exchange, an organization based in Winnipeg that she co-founded in 2015. Under her leadership, North Forge has evolved into an incubator accelerator and is now recognized as the innovation partner for the Province of Manitoba. Joelle has transformed North Forge into a complete digital “Founders Program,” with a fabrication lab, an Angel Network, a Women in Innovation Lab, and a fund for female investors. As a result of Joelle’s efforts, North Forge has seen a 294% increase in the number of companies with whom they work. She has previously held leadership positions at the University of Calgary’s Hunter Hub for Entrepreneurial Thinking, Futurpreneur Canada, and sits on several national boards. In recognition of her work, she has received several awards and sits on multiple advisory committees.