---
title: "Venturing to support entrepreneurs"
type: "article"
space: "Advancement"
author: "Anonymous"
created: 2021-09-07T19:18:46Z
updated: 2022-01-30T22:06:49Z
tags: ["giving-back", "helix"]
url: "https://employees.senecapolytechnic.ca/spaces/57/advancement/articles/news/11732/venturing-to-support-entrepreneurs"
---

# Venturing to support entrepreneurs

*Photo: Jane Forbes, former Seneca program co-ordinator, is supporting entrepreneurs through the HELIX Venture Fund.*

Before a business can generate a profit, entrepreneurs need investments to get their new ventures launched. However, while loans may be an option for some, many entrepreneurs cannot afford to take on additional debt. What’s more, a [City of Toronto report](https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/8ff2-EDC-Black-led-Businesses-Toronto.pdf) found that half of Black-owned businesses cited access to funding as their main challenge, and [it has been found that women obtain bank loans only about half as often as men do](https://advancingwomeninbusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Increasing-womens-access-to-capital_Report.pdf).

To remove some of these barriers for their entrepreneurs, HELIX, Seneca's on-campus innovation and entrepreneurship incubator, is launching a venture fund with donations from friends of Seneca and fellow entrepreneurs. There will be two levels of the HELIX Venture Fund: a Kickstarter fund for HELIXers in the early stages of their businesses and a larger Acceleration fund once they become more advanced.

[Read the full story](https://www.senecacollege.ca/support/donor-community/giving-back-stories/2021-stories/venturing-to-support-entrepreneurs.html)

* * *

If you would like to support HELIX, please considering [donating here](https://secure2.convio.net/scoaat/site/Donation2;jsessionid=00000000.app20068b?df_id=3181&mfc_pref=T&3181.donation=form1&NONCE_TOKEN=1D8F43BAF418BC64F607B1F21A67795E) or emailing advancement@senecacollege.ca.