The Elevate tech conference wrapped up in Toronto on Thursday. Here are some highlights from the closing day.

These women’s work: The energy was mixed at Elevate’s Women in Tech lounge Thursday morning. 

Jodi Kovitz, founder of Move the Dial, an organization promoting women and diversity in technology, took the stage early, joined by Danielle Graham and Claudette McGowan, founders of a recently-launched angel network The Firehood, to address the progress and setbacks women entrepreneurs have faced in recent years. 

Kovitz had taken a step back from the conference circuit in early 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic derailed her business, which was slated to hold 75 live events that year. “At the time, equity didn’t feel at the top of the list when it was a complete crisis, global emergency,” said Kovitz. “I would now say it should be at the top of the list.”

Kovitz said there’s been progress for women entrepreneurs since she launched Move the Dial in 2017. At the time her goal was to start a conversation about gender equity in business and tech. A new cohort of investors—from angel networks like The Firehood to institutional funds like BDC’s $500-million Thrive—have since followed through with mentorship and big money. 

Underlying the generally hopeful tone in the lounge, though, was a feeling of burnout. The pandemic has been particularly hard on women, many of whom carry disproportionately heavy responsibilities at home relative to men. From the stage, McGowan read a text from a would-be Elevate attendee named Tonya who in the end couldn’t make the event. “I’m overwhelmed and I’m under-rested and I’m not feeling good. The drive in rush-hour traffic is just too much for today,” she had texted McGowan at 4:30 a.m. that morning. “I’m very sorry I have to miss it.”

That sentiment carried through a later panel hosted by BDC’s Michelle Scarborough, managing partner of Thrive and BDC’s Women in Tech Fund, which featured Sonya Shorey of Invest Ottawa and Real Ventures’ Janet Bannister. News broke Wednesday that Bannister—who had been promoted to managing partner at Real in 2020—was stepping down from the role and transitioning out of the firm, which has struggled to raise its next fund. Bannister’s departure means one of Canadian VC’s most visible champions of woman entrepreneurs will be out of action, however temporarily. One founder told The Logic she sought funding from Real specifically because Bannister was on the team. Another angel investor said Bannister’s departure—and Real’s challenges—speak to gaps in Canada’s early-stage funding landscape, an area in which women founders are concentrated. 

Bannister said she believes she can have more of an impact outside Real, at a moment of transition for the venture ecosystem. “After spending a lot of time reflecting… I made the decision that I want to do something more innovative, more creative,” Bannister told the room. “I’m excited to have the time and space to explore that.” – Catherine

Execs pitch in on why esports isn’t levelling up: Overactive Media’s CEO Chris Overholt noted successes in current esports partnerships but also said there’s a need to convince others that the audience is engaged. Rebecca Longawa, founder of Happy Warrior, said there’s not enough funding for women in gaming and that “the thoughts and prayers approach to women in gaming is really detrimental.” CEO of TGS Esports Spiro Khouri said changing community guidelines makes it difficult to build programming around games. – Jonathan

Ubisoft puts games under review amid internal reckoning: The France-based video-game maker Ubisoft has created an internal team to make sure the content of its games is reviewed by “multicultural and diverse” team members after a successful pilot program, said Raashi Sikka, Ubisoft’s vice-president of global diversity and inclusion. Sikka joined the company last year after a series of executive departures from its Canadian division attributed to sexual misconduct allegations. “When I started working at Ubisoft … I heard loud and clear from our creative and development teams that they wanted to create more inclusive and representative games,” said Sikka. “But they also acknowledged that the diversity of our teams at this point didn’t fully reflect the diversity of our players.” A new team is being created based on the pilot, which was staffed by trained volunteers recruited from employee resource groups and external consultants. – Anita