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Coralus (formerly SheEO) co-creates new economic and social models by distributing crowdsourced support to our members, ventures, and the world.
SheEO is a radically redesigned ecosystem that supports, finances + celebrates women.
The Coralus model brings together hundreds of women and non-binary people called Activators in each country, who contribute $1100 or £850 (monthly payments of $92 or £71) as an act of Radical Generosity. The money is pooled together and loaned out at 0%-interest to women- and non-binary-led Ventures, selected by the Activators. All Ventures are revenue-generating with export potential and are working on the World’s To-Do List through their business model or their product and service. The loans are paid back into the fund over five years and then loaned out again, creating a perpetual fund which we will pass on to future generations.
In the Coralus model, Activators contribute more than just their capital. Activators also activate their networks, expertise, resources and buying power to help the Ventures grow and succeed. Activators are involved in selecting the Ventures directly through an online selection process. Each year Activators participate in two rounds of online voting. In Round 1, Activators collectively review all of the Venture applicants from their region and select the Venture Semi-Finalists; in Round 2, Activators review the Semi-Finalists and select their Coralus Ventures.
The selected Ventures gather and meet their Venture Cohort + Coralus Development Guide in a 2-day retreat where they learn about each other’s Ventures, get support, and begin to build relationships with one another. After the retreat we host a public announcement event to celebrate and hear from each of the Ventures about who they are, what they are working on, and an ask about what they need.
The first quarter after the retreat is devoted to starting engaging with the Development Guide, getting deeply connected to the community, and working with an Activator CFO to assess if they want to take a loan and, if so, how it should be structured.
We bootstrap our operations with a mix of government grants, partners, and Activator fees.
SheEO Canada Fund is a federally incorporated not-for-profit in Canada, governed by a Board of Directors.
Please see below for how we are structured in each country:
The intention behind the Fund is to build a perpetual fund that passes on to future generations. With that outcome, we will build a succession plan for governance so that this money exists in perpetuity.
If at some point in the future we feel as a community that this fund is no longer needed or needs to wind down we will find an organization with a similar mission to partner with through an agreed upon process by the Coralus Board of Directors. In our incorporation documents, instructions to the Board read as follows: Any property remaining on liquidation of the Corporation, after discharge of liabilities, shall be distributed to one or more qualified donees within the meaning of subsection 248(1) of the Income Tax Act.
Coralus has a Board of Directors who meet regularly and all financial statements are audited annually.
Your entry into our network starts with an act of #RadicalGenerosity – an $1100 or £850 contribution (monthly payments of $92 or £71) – with no expectation of return. Your contribution is a gift that pays forward over and over again.
#RadicalGenerosity is also a practice we are developing at Coralus. We believe that the potential of our Ventures and of all of us is far greater when we are surrounded by Radically Generous people; we dream bigger, we treat ourselves more kindly and we are happier. In our community we ask: what is the Radically Generous response to our Ventures’ needs? What kind of world could we create if we were Radically Generous with each other and with ourselves?
There is emerging data that indicates women + non-binary investors better understand women-led + non-binary Ventures, and that women-led + non-binary Ventures funded by women + non-binary folks perform better. While we recognize that all people will need to work together in order to transform systems, we know this is going to take time. Our starting point is women and non-binary only. Every day, working together, we remember that we have all we need to redesign, redefine and recreate this world. If you have further questions or want to know how our position has evolved, please contact [email protected].
Folks who wish to contribute capital can gift an Activation to a woman or non-binary person in their life (a child, sibling, spouse, mentee, entrepreneur, colleague, etc.) or to someone who has applied to Coralus for a gifted spot. With gifted Activations, you’ll contribute 80% ($880 or £680) of the Activation fee and the recipient will contribute the remaining 20% ($220 or £170) and be able to participate fully as an Activator in the Coralus community.
Men can also encourage entrepreneurs to apply to Coralus and help spread the word about Coralus to their networks.
We are committed to building a diverse global community of Radically Generous individuals of all ages, races, ethnicities and cultures. Our goal is to build a new regenerative economy that is life sustaining. There is a lack of diversity in our current power structures, which results in highly inequitable systems. It is our intention to build a highly diverse community.
Coralus Activators currently range in age from 11-96. We continuously strive to work alongside BIPOC communities in all regions around the world to transform systems and work together to heal generations of racism and inequality. Getting into relationship with one another – working together for the benefit of all – is part of our economic, social, and cultural reconciliation. We understand that to transform systems, the work starts with transforming ourselves. See Our Values and Principles.
Women receive 2.2% of venture capital globally and represent 51% of the population. This discrepancy was created by massive bias in our systems. But money is not the only element of Coralus that matters. Our shift in mindset, our belief that you can’t “add women and stir,” our completely reinvented ecosystem-based support system, and our Radically Generous spirit is needed to transform systems. We only fund women and non-binary people who are working on the World’s To-Do List, focused on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Coralus is a community of like-hearted people who connect in their desire to build new systems to create the world in which they want to live. Activators bring their unique experiences and contribute what they have to offer to the community. We have Activators who are artists, teachers, caregivers, business professionals, and so much more. Our community is not a place for any one type of person. It is a place where all types of people can come together to shape what we are co-creating.
For us, the World’s To-Do List starts with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which UN member states are working towards accomplishing by 2030. The SDGs acknowledge that inequalities are interconnected and that a robust approach is required to address them. They also ground all work that is done towards creating a more equitable world in climate action. Our Ventures are collectively working on 16 of the 17 of the goals.
Click here to Activate. There are three easy steps to Activate:
Your Activator contribution goes to a perpetual fund for Coralus Ventures – entrepreneurs working on the World’s To-Do List – that you as an Activator get to vote for and select. Once the Ventures are selected, you’ll receive regular updates on how they’re doing and what support they need, and once a year you’ll receive a Venture Impact Report.
Your contribution of $1100 or £850 includes a 10% sustainability fee which helps support Coralus’ annual operations. We offer weekly Activator Support Calls, Global Activator Calls, voting for the Ventures, virtual events, online community, Ask/Give platform, podcasts, webinars, and more.
We welcome all levels of participation and consider this to be a community that you join on your own terms. We understand that life gets busy so we invite you to engage in a way that works for you. If you want to contribute your capital but don’t have time beyond that, great! If you want to be highly engaged, support the Ventures and help grow the community, that works too!
Your experience as an Activator is on your own terms. You can be involved as much as you like. No guilt!
Yes! You can either gift an Activation to a woman or non-binary person in your life (a child, sibling, spouse, mentee, entrepreneur, colleague, etc.) or to someone who has applied to Coralus for a gifted spot.
With gifted Activations, you’ll contribute 80% ($880 or £680) and the recipient will contribute the remaining 20% ($220 or £170) and be able to participate fully as an Activator in the Coralus community. Click here to gift an Activation.
If the Activator contribution represents a financial barrier but you want to be part of Coralus’s global community, we invite you to apply for a gifted Activation.
How it works: 80% of the Activator contribution will be covered thanks to another person’s Radical Generosity; for 20% ($220 or £170) you’ll help fund the Ventures and get to participate fully as an Activator in the community.
We are also fortunate from time to time to partner with other organizations, who gift in cohorts of Activators and offer additional benefits and support. A recent example is our partnership with PNC Bank, which offers a gifted Activation, access to a financial advisor, and monthly programming.
No. When you sign up, you will select one of our 5 current regions to Activate in (Canada, the US, New Zealand, Australia, the UK). Your payment will be in that region’s currency and will help fund Ventures in that region, and as an Activator you’ll get to vote for the Ventures in that region. You do NOT need to live there to Activate, and you are welcome to participate in any/all of our calls and virtual events.
We’ve had several expats Activate in their home country as a way to give back and stay connected. We’ve had Activators who live in Singapore, Hong Kong, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, Switzerland, and beyond.
After your first year as an Activator, you’ll have an opportunity to re-activate (continuing with your monthly payments or another $1100 or £850 contribution) to help fund more Coralus Ventures.
Re-activating will enable you to participate in voting to select the Ventures the following year. Activating every year allows us to grow the Coralus perpetual fund and support more women and non-binary entrepreneurs working on the World’s To-Do List. If your circumstances permit, we’d love for this to be an annual contribution.
You can Activate year-round. Once you Activate, you’ll immediately gain access to our global community and can start participating in calls, the online community, Ask/Give, learning opportunities and more. So the sooner you Activate, the greater the benefits!
Yes! If you are an entrepreneur and meet the criteria (majority women- or non-binary-owned and led, minimum $50K or £40K in revenue this year, and creating a better world), we encourage you to apply. If you are applying as a Venture, becoming an Activator is a great way to join the Coralus community, begin building relationships and get the support you need to grow your business.
Coralus Activators democratically vote to support various types of Ventures who create significant positive impact across all sectors who align with at least one of the following UN Sustainable Development Goals.
We are agnostic about age or sector or structure. If you are a for-profit, not-for-profit or charity that generates revenue and can pay back a loan over 5 years, then you can apply.
No, we are agnostic about age or sector or structure. If you are a for-profit, not-for-profit or charity that generates revenue and can pay back a loan over 5 years, then you can apply.
Yes! If you are an entrepreneur and meet the criteria (majority women- or non-binary-owned and led, minimum $50K or £40K in revenue this year, and creating a better world), we encourage you to apply. If you are applying as a Venture, becoming an Activator is a great way to join the Coralus community, begin building relationships and get the support you need to grow your business.
In order to apply to be a Coralus Venture, you must meet all eligibility requirements including the minimum revenue. Many Ventures begin as Activators, and leverage the network to get the support they need through our community of radically generous women + nonbinary folks with all different sorts of expertise and connections.
If your business meets the eligibility criteria then yes you can apply.
At Coralus, we trust the intuition of Activators to determine/select the Ventures. These Activators are asked to keep the following in mind:
The loan amount for the cohort is determined by the number of Active Activators contributing to the pool of funds divided by the number of ventures (eg: If the pool was $125,000, each venture could get $25000 max). It tops out at $100,000 maximum for an individual venture in each country.
The 0%-interest loan has a five-year term that is paid back in 20 equal installments. We don’t restrict what the loan is used for except it cannot be used to payback debt. As the funds are paid back, the money gets reinvested into the fund and loaned out again to new Ventures.
The first quarter after the retreat is devoted to starting engaging with your development guide, getting deeply connected to the community, and working with an Activator accountant for learning and support.
At the end of the quarter, with insights from the Activator CFO and your Development Guide’s support, you’ll assess whether you want to take a loan and if so, how much and whether it should be given all at once or tied to milestones.
We’ve had ventures take no loan because they are getting what they need from the community and the coaching, take a small amount, take it with milestones and get the full amount all at once—whatever is best given the Venture’s unique situation and ability to repay.
Coralus reserves the right to accept or reject a Venture’s request; however we strive for alignment between the Venture and the Guides.
Coralus (formerly SheEO) is a radically redesigned ecosystem that supports, finances + celebrates women + non-binary folks.
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