Helping founders to achieve their goals.

About Volition

We are helping founders to navigate their knowledge gaps and tackle those “now what?!” moments with our tailored startup business advising, skills-based training and community events.

Let's Connect

Refine Your Processes

Adapt Your Strategies

Grow Business Sustainably

Gain Clarity & Confidence

Our Story

Co-founded by Melanie Ewan and Paul Brassard in the summer of 2017, we have since grown our coalition of startup advisors and experts, as well as built a strong core team that keeps everything running.

Over the years, we have hosted over 100 pitch events with 6500+ attendees, 750+ companies and over 1000 pitches. These events, including our Women’s Pitch series, is what we have been best known for in the past, and in 2018 we won the Startup Canada Community Support Award for our work in developing and supporting the startup ecosystem.

Volition is defined by action and commitment.

It means that you not only have the power to choose, but that you also have the purpose and determination to see that choice through.

Entrepreneurship is a choice

and it takes a village.

At Volition, we understand that the founders we work with come to entrepreneurship for different reasons and at every life stage.

Whether it was an intentional next step after university, a late-career shift, a compelling idea for change, or a promising pathway to a different future, we are honoured to be a part of your journey, to welcome and support you, and to help you thrive.

One of the most important lessons to learn as a founder is that having volition doesn’t mean that you have to, or should, follow this path of entrepreneurship alone. We believe that a strong startup ecosystem has the power to build the resources and network you need, to break down barriers, and to ensure that every founder is seen, heard, and supported.

This is action.

This is commitment.

This is Volition.

What is our volition?

To serve founders and to advocate for accessible resources and support. To ensure that you have at least one new resource, tool, plan, or connection to reach your next goal. But most importantly, to be part of your village, so you know that you have at least one place and one person to turn to at any stage of your journey.

Our Vision

“Building a global startup ecosystem where founders can grow, connect and feel supported.”

Our Values

Fostering An Inclusive & Accessible Community.

Entrepreneurship comes in many shapes and approaches. We find strength in diversity and work hard to continue to do better and ensure there is a variety of perspectives throughout our staff, partners and panelists to bring fresh points of view and drive innovation.
Knowledge Sharing, Learning & Adapting.

A strong business is one that can adapt, refine and consistently grow. We provide you and your team or community with the tools to develop and overcome every hurdle along the way. When you work with Volition, you aren’t paired with a single Advisor, but instead with a team of specialized experts that work together to cover your bases.
Working Together To Co-Create Value.

We believe collaborations and connections fuel businesses in the long run. We help incubators, accelerators and organizations grow their programming capacity to better serve more entrepreneurs. Our pitch events encourage relationship building - think networking rather than a competition. Forming partnerships and alliances with others helps drive everyone’s success.