Two-time Canadian Olympian turns founder to drive gender equity in sports
TORONTO, Feb. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Victory Ventures, Canada's first accelerator designed to help elite athletes transition into entrepreneurship, is proud to announce Olympian Jill Moffatt as the winner of its inaugural cohort.
Moffatt, a two-time Olympic rower, PhD candidate, and journalist, has spent years advocating for gender equity in sports. After competing at the Paris 2024 Olympics, she returned home to Victoria, BC, determined to address a growing but overlooked issue: the challenges faced by mother-athletes in sport.
Inspired by the experiences of Olympians navigating parenthood, Jill co-founded MOMentum — an initiative dedicated to supporting women athletes through fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, and parenting. She is joined by a team of Canadian Olympians, Paralympians, and researchers who are working together to build a system of support and advocacy for athlete-parents.
"I'm incredibly honoured and proud to have been part of this accelerator—and to receive $10,000 for MOMentum! Coming from a non-business background," said Moffat, "this experience gave me invaluable tools, resources, and opportunities to not only help grow MOMentum but also develop professionally. I now feel better equipped to build MOMentum into a sustainable nonprofit that makes a real impact for Canadian women athletes. I'm so grateful to Delphine and the team at Victory Ventures for their belief in me and our project."
Victory Ventures: Empowering Athletes to Build Impact-Driven Ventures
Victory Ventures is redefining athletes can build their legacy beyond the podium, equipping elite competitors with mentorship, business training, and funding to build ventures that solve real-world problems.
Unlike traditional startup programs, Victory Ventures supports a broad spectrum of ventures, including for-profit businesses, social enterprises, and nonprofits.
"Victory Ventures is on a mission to create a new breed of athlete-led, impact-driven ventures to solve real problems," said Delphine Gilbert, founder of Victory Ventures. "We had an incredible cohort of athlete-founders looking to use their platform to do good. We are thrilled to help fast-track Jill and her co-founding team in driving meaningful impact in the Canadian women sports ecosystem."
Why Athlete Entrepreneurs Matter
- Athletes make exceptional entrepreneurs — Olympians bring discipline, resilience, and passion, all essential for business success.
- A new wave of Canadian innovation — With programs like Victory Ventures, Canada is investing in a more diverse and purpose-driven entrepreneurial ecosystem.
- Closing the gap in athlete-parent support — MOMentum is addressing a critical gap in sports, ensuring that more women can thrive in both their athletic and personal lives.
- 94% of women executives have a background in sports (source), athletes are an untapped resource/opportunity for the Canadian economy.
With the support of Victory Ventures, Jill Moffatt and MOMentum are poised to make a lasting impact on the future of sports and athlete well-being.
For media inquiries, interviews, or further information, please contact:
Steph Davidson
647-668-6369
About Victory Ventures
Victory Ventures is Canada's first accelerator dedicated to helping elite athletes build high-impact ventures. Built from the belief that sports serve as a catalyst for impact & innovation, the program brings the resources, mentorship, and funding to turn their competitive mindset into entrepreneurial success.
For more information, visit https://www.victoryventures.io/.
SOURCE Victory Ventures
Share this article