Mentor Works gets several calls a day from entrepreneurs and aspiring small business owners on how to get started. Their questions vary, but each one is looking to orient themselves in this space and find out what sort of government backed programs exist to support them. I have had the pleasure of working in this space…
According to a 2014 release of Statistics Canada data, Canada continues to decline in its commitment to innovation. The portion of Canadian businesses investing in process innovation fell from 33.5% in 2007-2009 to 29.0% in 2010-2012. Similarly, innovative businesses in Canada fell from 76.3% to 60.1% in the same time period. This decline is alarming….
The City of Toronto is one of Canada’s mega-hotbeds of economic activity and is home to some of the nation’s most driven, successful companies. Both large and small, businesses within Toronto are constantly looking for ways to improve their operations to become more efficient, innovative, and grow into the future. To assist with these business…
This summer I had the privilege of walking Glen Abbey Golf Course in Oakville, Ontario during the final round of the Canadian Open golf tournament. My second time being on the course, I was immediately taken back by the stunning landscape, the peaceful chirp of birds, and being surrounded by some of the best golfers…
Perhaps it is because my family’s four daughters are more independent now, all out of the house – at university, married and only one left in high school – that really burned through the excuses that I could and should invest time to take better care of my health, energy levels, and most of all,…
CFEA offers support services to Canadian small to mid-sized food and beverage businesses looking to reduce the risk exporting.
The Record reports that 2 well-known players in the technology sector will soon unveil a $200 million venture capital fund that will focus on Waterloo Region Startups. Outgoing Accelerator Centre CEO & Bay Street Financier Responsible for Startup Funding Tim Ellis, the former Chief Executive Officer of Waterloo’s Accelerator Centre has been brought on Michael…
By Anne Toner, Business Development Executive, Mentor Works Two of the most common challenges we encounter when helping businesses access Canadian small business grants and loans programs is timing and fit. Either they have just started an R&D project, or two months ago they bought a new piece of equipment that has enabled them to…
The 2012 National AURP Conference enables Canadian University Research Parks to come together and speak about the commercialization of university research. The conference will focus on facilitating discovery, angel investing, federal funding and collaboration. Speaker: Bernadeen McLeod, Canadian Government Funding Expert The 2012 National AURP Canada Conference will host discussion panels and highly engaging keynote…
The MaRS organization is one Ontarios largest and most well established not-for-profit groups to provide government funding for research and development. The organizations goal is to support innovation by fostering collaboration between the worlds of science, business, and government. MaRS also provides useful advice and support to small businesses looking to adopt the industries best…