Atlantic Canada Business Grants

Entrepreneurship Program

Food Xcel Award

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Amount:

$25,000

Type of Program:

Competition, Entrepreneurship Program

Description:

Food Xcel has been developed to help aspiring food entrepreneurs move their idea forward through a combination of progressive workshops, networking opportunities with food agencies, industry experts, and entrepreneurs and a chance to compete for a $25,000 award from Innovation PEI's Ignition Fund.

Comments on Funding:

Funding is a $25,000 award. 

When It Ends:

Ongoing

Deadline:

Rolling deadline

Eligibility:

The applicant must:

  • be aspiring entrepreneurs,
  • have PEI food businesses

Application Steps:

1

Applicants must book their free consultation

Documentation Needed:

No specific documentation has been identified.

Other Things to Note:

The Food Island Partnership is supporting the growth of PEI food businesses, providing a series of activities to value-added food companies.

Program Contact:

Food Xcel

Food Company Support

Emera IdeaHUB: BRIDGE Residency Program

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Amount:

N/A

Type of Program:

Entrepreneurship Program

Description:

The Emera ideaHUB Bridge Residency helps founders refine and launch physical product-based companies and transition to a stage where they can stand on their own. Access to the BRIDGE enables startups to sustain themselves for up to one year while they complete the steps necessary to ""de-risk"" their technology. BRIDGE residents receive access to mentorship, expert advice and engineering as well as technical support so they can transform into a startup ready to stand on their own or work with incubators and accelerators in the larger startup ecosystem. BRIDGE companies are able to access work spaces, infrastructure, and expertise needed to develop and build products to get in the hands of their customers faster than ever before.
BRIDGE comprises two options for ventures who have a working prototype:

  1. 1
    Bridge Affiliate: Applicants work virtually and access hands-on support from the in-house engineering team to refine their product, through scheduled support sessions (useful for a pre-Residency term, as well as Alumni needing occasional support).
  2. 2
    Bridge Residency: Applicants join Bridge for a year and receive a dedicated workstation for teams of four, including desk space, work benches, 24/7 access, and support for all technical and mechanical engineering needs. They also receive custom curated advisors based on your venture's needs, industry, and funding strategy.

Comments on Funding:

No funding involved.

When It Ends:

Ongoing

Deadline:

Rolling deadline

Eligibility:

Applicants must be startups which are:

  • between 1-4 employees;
  • in need of space and specialized facilities to build and develop their prototype;
  • in the initial stages of growing their startup;
  • financially bootstrapping and unable to access the supports they need on their own.

Application Steps:

1

Applicants must email the completed application to ideahub@dal.ca.

Documentation Needed: 

No specific documentation has been identified

Other Things to Note:

They review and accept applicants on a continual intake basis to ensure the program is always helping as many startups as possible. 

Program Contact:

The BRIDGE Residency Program

Emera IdeaHUB: Build Program

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Amount:

$10,000

Type of Program:

Entrepreneurship Program

Description:

BUILD is a 10-month rigorous program that helps founders take their physical product idea from design to prototype and prepare for manufacturing and scale. BUILD includes workshops and one-on-one sessions to advance hardware companies in Atlantic Canada. Sessions are focused on designing/building hardware in addition to business fundamental sessions for running a startup.
The BUILD program consists of a series of 4 modules, each focused on a different stage of product development: Prototype, Build, Scale. 

  1. 1
    CPO Track: Hands-on product development sessions to get the applicant through rapid prototyping, build, iterating and testing. New sessions on design for manufacturing and supply chain. Access to faculty and industry experts;
  2. 2
    New CTO Track: support for software and data/analytics considerations for deep tech product;
  3. 3
    Team Track: MIT facilitated sessions on Disciplined Entrepreneurship, to ensure entire founding team has consistent understanding of venture building fundamentals;
  4. 4
    HUB System: Monthly accountability meetings, access to Faculty and Industry, Entrepreneurs in Residence, and support for material budgeting and sourcing processes. Team development workshops and coaching.

Comments on Funding:

Funding is $10,000 per company to purchase materials to build operational prototype.

When It Ends:

Ongoing

Deadline:

Next deadlines to be determined

Eligibility:

Applicants must be Atlantic Canada startups which:

  • have between 1- 4 founding team members;
  • are seeking more industry and Faculty advisors to refine their product;
  • are expanding their team and positioning for funding;
  • need a prototype for proof of concept.

Application Steps:

1

Applicants must email the completed application to ideahub@dal.ca;

2

Applicants must present to the Operations Committee, if selected among the top candidates for full-time residency.

Documentation Needed: 

No specific documentation has been identified.

Other Things to Note:

Emera ideaHUB and Innovacorp work together to fund and accelerate BUILD client companies. 

Program Contact:

Build | Design, develop & build your MVP — Emera ideaHUB

Wallace Family Entrepreneurship Fund

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Amount:

$10,000

Type of Program:

Entrepreneurship Program, Grant

Description:

Through the generous support of the Wallace Family Entrepreneurship Fund, students who have an enterprise idea and who are interested in starting a new venture, developing a new prototype, or applying innovative approaches to a particular product or service are encouraged to apply for a summer internship. Interns receive coaching and assistance from StFX staff and faculty mentors and engage in learning activities that help them explore and develop an enterprise venture. 

Comments on Funding:

Funding will take the form of paid internships. The internships are worth up to $6,000 each or $10,000 for a team, for students enrolled in full-time study at StFX. The internships support full-time employment for StFX students for a 12 week period during the summer (April-July).

When It Ends:

Ongoing

Deadline:

Next deadlines to be determined

Eligibility:

Applicants must:

  • be StFX students enrolled in any year of a full-time program;
  • have been enrolled in full-time studies in a degree program at StFX during the most recent complete academic term (prior to the application deadline);
  • students who have just completed their studies but have yet to graduate.

Application Steps:

1

Applicants must submit the application form;

2

Applicants must pitch their ideas.

Documentation Needed: 

Applicants must submit:

  1. 1
    the completed application form;
  2. 2
    the new Venture title, description, and location;
  3. 3
    StFX Student Grade Report in PDF.

Program Contact:

Wallace Family Internship - StFX DiscoverBox

SparkZone

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Amount:

N/A

Type of Program:

Entrepreneurship Program

Description:

The SparkZone brings together students and community members to create, develop and ultimately launch business ideas and social innovations. Through this free program, students can:

  1. 1
    connect with other students;
  2. 2
    access leadership coaching and business training through regular workshops;
  3. 3
    access one-one-one business advisory sessions;
  4. 4
    attend business events and conferences;
  5. 5
    access supports, services and workshops are partner institutions.

Comments on Funding:

No funding involved.

When It Ends:

Ongoing

Deadline:

To be Determined

Eligibility:

Applicants must be:

  • students at one of the following institutions:
  • Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU);
  • Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University (NSCAD);
  • Saint Mary’s University (SMU);
  • Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC);
  • Atlantic School of Theology;
  • University of King’s College;
  • community members.

Application Steps:

1

Applicants must complete and submit the online application form.

Documentation Needed: 

No specific documentation has been identified.

Program Contact:

SparkZone