Shanika Abeysinghe
Venture operator and strategist; founder-support work through venture and startup-support organizations
Shanika Abeysinghe is a Canadian venture operator and strategist who co-founded grocery startup Bessie Box. She has supported early-stage founders through organizations including Yale Ventures, Platform Calgary and Elevate.
Shanika co-founded Bessie Box, a grocery startup that was acquired, and has since worked with early-stage founders through Yale Ventures, Platform Calgary and Elevate.
Her work also includes co-creating Get Checkered and launching the policy coalition EACH+EVERY. She has spoken about human rights at the UN Human Rights Council and about entrepreneurship and inclusive founder communities at The Globe and Mail and Inventures.
Founders can seek help with strategy, fundraising, positioning and building confidence as they make the next move. Her approach pairs practical feedback and introductions with support for developing a founder’s own judgment.
What others say
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Shanika is more than a mentor; what makes her impact so meaningful is that beyond projections, plans, or pitches, she helps founders find confidence in their own ability. Whilst her experience and intelligence with the technical aspects of building and scaling a business have been incredibly helpful as I have built my company at various stages, her ability to coach and get me to build my own personal competency is what has really made the biggest impact for me.
Jenna Galloway
Where Shanika can help
- Startup strategy
- Fundraising
- Founder coaching
- Ecosystem building
- Inclusive communities
Operating and investing experience
A selection of companies and roles connected to Shanika Abeysinghe.
Ventures
Bessie Box
co-founded the grocery startup
Get Checkered
co-created
EACH+EVERY
launched the policy coalition
Highlights
- Co-founded grocery startup Bessie Box, later acquired
- Supported early-stage founders through Yale Ventures, Platform Calgary and Elevate
- Co-created Get Checkered and launched EACH+EVERY
Questionsfounders ask aboutShanika Abeysinghe
What is Shanika's professional background?
Abeysinghe has combined startup founding with founder-support work. She co-founded grocery startup Bessie Box and has supported early-stage founders through organizations including Yale Ventures, Platform Calgary and Elevate.
Which founder topics connect most directly to Shanika's experience?
Her experience connects most directly to the practical choices involved in startup strategy and fundraising, as well as founder coaching. Her work with startup-support organizations and inclusive founder communities also relates to ecosystem building.
What is Shanika working on now?
Abeysinghe works across venture operations, strategy and early-stage founder support. Her experience includes startup-support organizations and community initiatives, connecting practical company-building questions with a focus on inclusive founder ecosystems.
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