Arlene Dickinson

Arlene Dickinson is a legendary entrepreneur and venture capitalist.

A self-made success story, Arlene has launched, operated and managed businesses for 35 years. Her strategies and business savvy are competitively sought after, and she has helped businesses go from early-stage startups to multi-billion dollar corporations.

Across 15 seasons on Dragons’ Den, Arlene honed her once-in-a-generation ability to recognize and nurture business potential, eventually launching District Ventures Capital – a fund focused on helping foster entrepreneurs and scale companies in the food & beverage and health & wellness sectors. Under her leadership, District Ventures Capital has become a leading force in the industry, with a portfolio of ground-breaking companies that are transforming the way we live and eat.

Arlene is also the Co-Managing Partner of Believeco:Partners – a consolidation of the foremost marketing, communications, and engagement agencies in North America. It was Arlene’s vision that brought this platform to life, and today they build award-winning campaigns for some of the world’s biggest brands.

Arlene’s leadership has been recognized with many honours, most notably as a proud recipient of The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. She has also been bestowed Canada’s Most Powerful Women Top 100 Award, the Pinnacle Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence and PROFIT and Chatelaine’s Top 100 Women Business Owners Award.

Arlene has also established herself as one of the country’s most revered marketing and communications experts, knowing how to build powerful consumer brands. She was inducted into the Marketing Hall of Legends and is a three-time bestselling author and top-ranking podcaster. She’s a coveted speaker and the recipient of honorary degrees from Mount Saint Vincent University, Concordia University, Saint Mary’s University, Olds College and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.

But Arlene’s most important role and honour is being a mom of four and a grandmother of 5.