Building for the Future: Athena Collective Partners with Speed M&A by JonesSpross To Give Female Founders Earlier Access to M&A Strategy
Collaboration brings senior M&A expertise and strategic deal execution to female founders across the United States.
Vancouver, BC, May 21st, 2026 Athena Collective, built to empower female founders, today announced that Speed M&A by JonesSpross has joined as its newest partner — closing the gap between women founders and the strategic M&A expertise that shapes long-term business outcomes.
Speed M&A by JonesSpross is a legal and deal execution platform focused on helping founders and acquirers navigate mergers, acquisitions, and exits in the lower and middle market. The platform combines senior M&A attorneys, dedicated deal management, and a structured transaction process designed to move deals from LOI to close faster and with greater certainty. Built on the Speed M&A methodology, the approach integrates legal strategy, negotiation, diligence, and deal management into a repeatable system — delivering Big Law-caliber execution with greater efficiency and significantly lower transaction costs.
"When we met the Athena Collective team, what stood out immediately was the intentionality behind the community they're building. Women are starting and scaling incredible companies, but they haven't always had the same access to strategic conversations around ownership, capital, and M&A. The most successful exits we see start years before a sale is ever on the table, and we're excited to support Athena members with the tools and perspective to start thinking about those decisions earlier." — Robyn Siers, Founder, Speed M&A by JonesSpross
One of the most consistent patterns Speed M&A sees working with founders is that conversations about ownership, growth strategy, and eventual exit often start too late. By the time many founders begin exploring M&A, the most important strategic decisions have already been made. Women are building extraordinary companies — but they often have less access to the networks, capital conversations, and strategic advisory that shape long-term outcomes. This partnership is intentionally designed to change that.
“Too many women founders reach critical crossroads in their business without the right people beside them. This partnership changes that — because the best strategic decisions aren't made in the moment, they're built over time. Now our members have the expertise and support to start laying that foundation today." — Sarah Bundy, CEO, Athena Collective
For Athena Collective members, this partnership means access to the perspectives, relationships, and tools to make thoughtful decisions about growth, ownership, and optionality. Specifically, Athena members will have access to:
- Educational workshops on how M&A works, how acquisitions can be used as a growth strategy, and what buyers look for when evaluating businesses
- Advisory sessions and office hours where founders can ask questions about valuation drivers, deal structures, and how to position their companies for future strategic opportunities
- Invitations to participate in and co-host Women in M&A dinners across the country — intimate gatherings that bring together female founders, investors, acquirers, and operators to build relationships and share insights across the ecosystem
Building a business is full of moments that can change everything. At Athena Collective, we want to make sure no woman faces those moments unprepared — and that every female founder in this community is positioned, prepared, and supported for what's next. That's why we couldn't be more excited to have Speed M&A by JonesSpross in our corner — and in yours.
About Athena Collective
Athena Collective is the strategic infrastructure designed for every female founder, owner, and operator across the entire founder journey, from day one to exit. Built as a personalized roadmap that evolves with members, the organization provides the right resources, connections, and guidance at every stage. Athena Collective combines smart technology, curated resources and workshops, and online and in-person communities to help women start, scale, and exit businesses with clarity, confidence, and control.
About Speed M&A by JonesSpross
Speed M&A by JonesSpross is a legal and deal execution platform focused on helping founders and acquirers navigate mergers, acquisitions, and exits in the lower and middle market. Combining senior M&A attorneys, dedicated deal management, and a structured transaction process, Speed M&A delivers Big Law-caliber execution with greater efficiency and significantly lower transaction costs.