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Welcome  to  York  Region!  

York  Region  is  a  great  place  to  build  and  grow  a  business.    Check  out  these  facts  (courtesy  of  Invest  In  York,  a  department  within  the  York  Region  Economic  Development  group  that  actively  promotes  the  region  to  businesses  looking  to  grow  and  relocate  -­‐  http://www.investinyork.ca):  

• Of  the  45,500  businesses  in  York  Region,  more  than  4400  of  them  are  focused  in  ICT  (information,  communications,  telecommunications)  industries  

• 20  of  the  90  gaming  companies  in  the  GTA  are  in  York  Region,  with  a  combined  100+  million  downloads    • 16  Fortune-­‐100  corporations  are  headquartered  in  York  Region  • The  average  size  of  companies  in  York  Region  is  15  employees  • York  Region  is  home  of  IBM's  largest  software  development  lab  outside  the  US  

 Not  surprisingly,  York  Region  has  a  plethora  of  resources  to  help  entrepreneurs  evolve  their  businesses.    Some  organizations  support  startups  and  new  businesses  specifically;  others  support  businesses  at  later  stages;  and  some  foster  peer-­‐to-­‐peer  entrepreneurial  connections  and  relationships.    Regardless  of  which  stage  your  business  is  at,  York  Region  offers  something  to  help  you  along.    This  document  frames  up  some  key  organizations  that  operate  in  the  York  Region  ecosystem  and  support  York  Region  entrepreneurs,  organized  by  business  stage.    Obviously  they  do  far  more  than  what  is  included  below,  but  hopefully  this  summary  will  save  you  some  time  researching  what  is  available  to  help  your  business.    Good  luck!    

“Where  can  I  find  help  in  York  Region  to  start  my  business?”  

 

 

 

 

 

   

The  libraries  in  each  municipality  offer  training  and  other  resources  to  support  small  businesses  and  entrepreneurs.    For  example:  

o The  Markham  Public  Library  (http://thecavemarkham.blogspot.ca)  operates  a  maker  space  focused  on  creative  audio  /  visual  arts.    Patrons  can  borrow  or  lend  recording  equipment  of  various  types  to  help  start  their  performing  businesses.  

o The  Markham  Public  Library  offers  a  monthly  "Entrepreneurs  In  Residence"  speaker  series  where  entrepreneurs  share  their  experiences  with  community  members  who  may  be  thinking  about  starting  their  own  business.  

 

 

Ontario  Centres  of  Excellence  (oce-­‐ontario.org)  drives  the  commercialization  of  cutting-­‐edge  research  across  strategic  market  sectors  to  build  the  economy  of  tomorrow  and  foster  a  culture  of  entrepreneurism  through  programs  that  help  young  entrepreneurs  develop  business  skills  and  launch  new  companies.  To  secure  Ontario’s  and  Canada’s  global  competitiveness,  they  focus  on  areas  that  will  deliver  the  greatest  economic  and  social  benefits  across  the  province.  Funded  by  the  Ontario  government,  OCE  is  a  member  of  the  Ontario  Network  of  Entrepreneurs.    

   

Seneca  College  (http://www.senecacollege.ca/fulltime/BAS.html)  offers  a  breadth  of  programs  and  courses  to  help  entrepreneurs.    

 

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The  Small  Business  Enterprise  Centres  (SBECs)  provide  a  wealth  of  business  advisory  services  and  training  programs,  targeted  at  helping  small  businesses  of  all  industries  start,  grow  and  succeed.  The  SBECs  offer  one-­‐on-­‐one  appointments  and  educational  seminars  on  topics  such  as:  start-­‐up  regulations,  business  planning,  marketing  research  and  strategy,  understanding  business  financing  and  taxes  and  more.  

o Markham  (http://msbc.markham.ca)  o Richmond  Hill  (http://BusinessRichmondHill.ca)  o Vaughan  (http://www.vaughan.ca/VBEC)    o York  Region  (http://yorksmallbusiness.ca)  

 

 

Startup  York  (http://startupyork.ca)  is  a  non-­‐profit,  volunteer  and  entrepreneur-­‐led  peer-­‐to-­‐peer  network  of  business  owners  and  "intrapreneurs".    Practicing  a  strict  no-­‐sales  rule,  Startup  York  is  focused  on  building  and  sustaining  an  environment  for  entrepreneurs  to  share  information  and  best  practices  with  one  another.    

 

ventureLAB  (http://www.venturelab.ca)  is  the  non-­‐profit  innovation  centre  that  supports  York  Region,  Simcoe  County  and  Muskoka  District.    ventureLAB  helps  technology,  health  and  other  creative  entrepreneurs  bring  their  innovations  to  market,  by  offering  an  unique  combination  of  mentoring,  partnering,  and  connecting  tailored  to  the  unique  needs  of  each  startup  business.    ventureLAB  offers  the  BUILD  training  program,  1:1  advisory  services,  clinics,  conferences,  investor  meetings,  and  other  special  events.    For  newer  businesses,  the  Begin  course  (part  of  BUILD)  helps  entrepreneurs  develop  business  plans  and  articulate  value  propositions.    

   

York  Entrepreneurship  Development  Institute  (http://www.yedinstitute.org)  offers  a  free  12-­‐week  training  program  for  startups.    

 

York  University  (http://www.yorku.ca)  offers  a  breadth  of  programs  and  courses  to  help  entrepreneurs.    

 

“I  need  to  find  funding  for  my  business  –  where  do  I  begin?    What  do  I  include  in  an  investor  presentation?”  

 The  Federal  government  offers  a  couple  of  resources  to  help  entrepreneurs  navigate  through  the  many  programs  and  financing  opportunities  at  the  Federal  and  Provincial  levels:  

• Concierge  Service:  http://concierge.portal.gc.ca,  1-­‐855-­‐53-­‐GUIDE  • Database  of  grant,  loan  and  financing  information:  

http://www.canadabusiness.ca/eng/program/search/sgc-­‐35/  

 

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Futurpreneur  Canada  (http://futurpreneur.ca/):  mentoring  and  loan  financing  for  entrepreneurs  18-­‐39  years  old,  with  loan  financing  of  up  to  $45000.    

 National  Research  Council-­‐Industrial  Research  Assistance  Program  (NRC-­‐IRAP  -­‐  http://www.nrc-­‐cnrc.gc.ca/eng/irap/index.html):  the  Government  of  Canada's  premier  innovation  assistance  program  for  small  and  medium-­‐sized  enterprises,  IRAP  offers  advisory  services,  funding  opportunities,  networking  connections  and  youth  employment  programs  to  help  its  clients.    

 

Ontario  Centres  of  Excellence  (oce-­‐ontario.org)  drives  the  commercialization  of  cutting-­‐edge  research  across  strategic  market  sectors  to  build  the  economy  of  tomorrow  and  foster  a  culture  of  entrepreneurism  through  programs  that  help  young  entrepreneurs  develop  business  skills  and  launch  new  companies.  To  secure  Ontario’s  and  Canada’s  global  competitiveness,  they  focus  on  areas  that  will  deliver  the  greatest  economic  and  social  benefits  across  the  province.  Funded  by  the  Ontario  government,  OCE  is  a  member  of  the  Ontario  Network  of  Entrepreneurs.    

 Seneca  College  is  the  home  of  Helix  (Health  Entrepreneurship  and  Lifestyle  Innovation  Xchange,  http://www.senecacollege.ca/research/HELIX/),  an  incubator  focused  on  helping  health  and  technology  companies  start  up  and  grow.    

 

 

 

   

The  Small  Business  Enterprise  Centres  (SBECs)  provide  a  wealth  of  business  advisory  services  and  training  programs,  targeted  at  helping  small  businesses  of  all  industries  start,  grow  and  succeed.  The  SBECs  offer  one-­‐on-­‐one  appointments  and  educational  seminars  on  topics  such  as:  start-­‐up  regulations,  business  planning,  marketing  research  and  strategy,  understanding  business  financing  and  taxes  and  more.  

o Markham  (http://msbc.markham.ca)  o Richmond  Hill  (http://BusinessRichmondHill.ca)  o Vaughan  (http://www.vaughan.ca/VBEC)    o York  Region  (http://yorksmallbusiness.ca)  

 

 

Starter  Company  (contact  your  local  Small  Business  Enterprise  Centre):  grant  funding  of  up  to  $5000  for  entrepreneurs  between  18-­‐29  who  are  no  longer  in  school  nor  working  full-­‐time  elsewhere.    

   

Summer  Company  (http://www.ontario.ca/summercompany):  grant  funding  of  up  to  $3000  for  student  entrepreneurs  15-­‐29  who  are  currently  in  school  and  returning  to  school  in  the  fall.    

 

ventureLAB  (http://www.venturelab.ca)  is  the  non-­‐profit  innovation  centre  that  supports  York  Region,  Simcoe  County  and  Muskoka  District.    ventureLAB  helps  technology,  health  and  other  creative  entrepreneurs  bring  their  innovations  to  market,  by  offering  an  unique  combination  of  mentoring,  partnering,  and  connecting  tailored  to  the  unique  needs  of  each  startup  business.    ventureLAB  

 

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offers  the  BUILD  training  program,  1:1  advisory  services,  clinics,  conferences,  and  other  special  events.    In  addition,  the  Genesis  program  works  with  ventureLAB  advisors  and  team  members  to  help  match  clients  to  appropriate  funding  opportunities.    

 

York  Angel  Investors  (http://www.yorkangels.com)  provides  a  supportive  linkage  between  local  entrepreneurs  who  are  seeking  early  and  mid-­‐stage  capital  and  investors  /  mentors  with  a  commitment  to  the  economic  development  of  the  Region  and  to  the  entrepreneurial  spirit  of  this  community.      

   

   

   

Innovation  York  (http://www.innovationyork.ca),  the  commercialization  and  industry  unit  for  York  University,  has  recently  launched  a  new  entrepreneurship  program,  LaunchYU  (http://www.launchyu.ca)  to  support  entrepreneurs  across  campus  and  in  the  community,  as  well  as  providing  accelerator  space  at  the  Markham  Convergence  Centre  to  early  stage  York-­‐related  companies.    

 

“We're  just  months  away  from  launching  our  product.”  

 

Ontario  Centres  of  Excellence  (oce-­‐ontario.org)  drives  the  commercialization  of  cutting-­‐edge  research  across  strategic  market  sectors  to  build  the  economy  of  tomorrow  and  foster  a  culture  of  entrepreneurism  through  programs  that  help  young  entrepreneurs  develop  business  skills  and  launch  new  companies.  To  secure  Ontario’s  and  Canada’s  global  competitiveness,  they  focus  on  areas  that  will  deliver  the  greatest  economic  and  social  benefits  across  the  province.  Funded  by  the  Ontario  government,  OCE  is  a  member  of  the  Ontario  Network  of  Entrepreneurs.    

 Seneca’s  incubator  Helix  (Health  Entrepreneurship  and  Lifestyle  Innovation  Xchange,  http://www.senecacollege.ca/research/HELIX/)  helps  health  and  technology  companies  start  up  and  grow.    

 

ventureLAB  (http://www.venturelab.ca)  is  the  non-­‐profit  innovation  centre  that  supports  York  Region,  Simcoe  County  and  Muskoka  District.    ventureLAB  helps  technology,  health  and  other  creative  entrepreneurs  bring  their  innovations  to  market,  by  offering  an  unique  combination  of  mentoring,  partnering,  and  connecting  tailored  to  the  unique  needs  of  each  startup  business.    ventureLAB  offers  the  BUILD  training  program,  1:1  advisory  services,  clinics,  conferences,  investor  meetings,  and  other  special  events.    The  Launch  program  (part  of  BUILD)  helps  companies  prepare  to  launch  their  business.    

   

Innovation  York  (http://www.innovationyork.ca),  the  commercialization  and  industry  unit  for  York  University  has  recently  launched  a  new  entrepreneurship  program,  LaunchYU  (http://www.launchyu.ca)  to  support  entrepreneurs  across  campus  and  in  the  community,  as  well  as  providing  accelerator  space  at  the  Markham  Convergence  Centre  to  early  stage  York-­‐related  companies.    

 

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“I  need  help  to  grow  my  business.”  

 Concierge  Service  is  a  program  offered  by  the  Federal  government  (http://concierge.portal.gc.ca,  1-­‐855-­‐53-­‐GUIDE)  to  help  growing  companies  navigate  through  the  programs  offered  at  the  Federal  level.    

   

   

     

 

The  chambers  and  boards  offer  a  variety  of  programs  and  events  to  help  businesses  network,  learn  new  business  skills  and  manage  their  costs  (e.g.,  special  member  benefits).    The  chambers  and  boards  also  typically  have  a  Young  Professionals  group  that  focus  on  offering  events  and  programs  unique  to  younger  professionals  and  entrepreneurs.  

o Aurora  Chamber  of  Commerce  (http://www.aurorachamber.on.ca)    o Markham  Board  of  Trade  (http://www.markhamboard.com)    o Newmarket  Chamber  of  Commerce  

(http://www.newmarketchamber.ca)    o Richmond  Hill  Chamber  of  Commerce  (http://www.rhcoc.com)    o Vaughan  Board  of  Trade  (http://vaughanchamber.ca)    

 

 

   

The  Province  of  Ontario's  Business  Advisory  Services  (http://ONEbusiness.ca)  focuses  on  helping  high-­‐growth  firms  focused  on  exporting,  product  development  and  staffing,  grow  their  businesses  in  Canada  and  internationally.    

 

Ontario  Centres  of  Excellence  (oce-­‐ontario.org)  drives  the  commercialization  of  cutting-­‐edge  research  across  strategic  market  sectors  to  build  the  economy  of  tomorrow  and  foster  a  culture  of  entrepreneurism  through  programs  that  help  young  entrepreneurs  develop  business  skills  and  launch  new  companies.  To  secure  Ontario’s  and  Canada’s  global  competitiveness,  they  focus  on  areas  that  will  deliver  the  greatest  economic  and  social  benefits  across  the  province.  Funded  by  the  Ontario  government,  OCE  is  a  member  of  the  Ontario  Network  of  Entrepreneurs.    

 

 

 

The  Small  Business  Enterprise  Centres  (SBECs)  provide  a  wealth  of  business  advisory  services  and  training  programs,  targeted  at  helping  small  businesses  of  all  industries  start,  grow  and  succeed.  The  SBECs  offer  one-­‐on-­‐one  appointments  and  educational  seminars  on  topics  such  as:  start-­‐up  regulations,  business  planning,  marketing  research  and  strategy,  understanding  business  financing  and  taxes  and  more.  

o Markham  (http://msbc.markham.ca)  o Richmond  Hill  (http://BusinessRichmondHill.ca)  o Vaughan  (http://www.vaughan.ca/VBEC)    

 

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o York  Region  (http://yorksmallbusiness.ca)    

 

Startup  York  (http://startupyork.ca)  is  a  non-­‐profit,  volunteer  and  entrepreneur-­‐led  peer-­‐to-­‐peer  network  of  business  owners  and  "intrapreneurs".    Practicing  a  strict  no-­‐sales  rule,  Startup  York  is  focused  on  building  and  sustaining  an  environment  for  entrepreneurs  to  share  information  and  best  practices  with  one  another.    

 

TechConnex  (http://www.techconnex.ca)  is  the  only  member-­‐directed  industry  association  in  the  GTA  entirely  focused  on  the  growth  of  small  and  mid-­‐size  tech  businesses  and  their  people  through  the  sharing  of  best  practices,  business  insights  and  bright  ideas.    To  its  members,  TechConnex  offers:  

• Networking  • Peer  Groups  • Learning  Labs    • Speaker  events  

 

 

ventureLAB  (http://www.venturelab.ca)  is  the  non-­‐profit  innovation  centre  that  supports  York  Region,  Simcoe  County  and  Muskoka  District.    ventureLAB  helps  technology,  health  and  other  creative  entrepreneurs  bring  their  innovations  to  market,  by  offering  an  unique  combination  of  mentoring,  partnering,  and  connecting  tailored  to  the  unique  needs  of  each  startup  business.    ventureLAB  offers  the  BUILD  training  program,  1:1  advisory  services,  clinics,  conferences,  investor  meetings,  and  other  special  events.      

 

The  York  Region  Business  Series  (http://www.yrbizseries.ca)  presents  events  throughout  the  year  that  are  focused  on  providing  businesses  access  to  new  ideas,  insight  and  resources  to  help  them  adapt  and  succeed  in  a  fast-­‐changing  marketplace.    

 

Other  Events  In  addition  to  these  organizations,  York  Region  is  the  home  of  several  entrepreneur-­‐focused  events  throughout  the  year.    Here  are  two  of  them:    

Startup  Weekends  are  weekend-­‐long,  hands-­‐on  experiences  where  entrepreneurs  and  aspiring  entrepreneurs  develop  startup  ideas  from  concept  to  pitch.    Along  the  way,  concepts  are  validated  for  viability,  feasibility  and  profitability.    On  average,  half  of  Startup  Weekend’s  attendees  have  technical  or  design  backgrounds,  the  other  half  have  business  backgrounds.    Beginning  with  open  mic  pitches  on  Friday,  attendees  bring  their  best  ideas  and  inspire  others  to  join  their  team.  Over  Saturday  and  Sunday,  teams  focus  on  customer  development,  validating  their  ideas,  practicing  LEAN  Startup  Methodologies  and  building  a  minimal  viable  product.  On  Sunday  evening,  teams  present  their  startup  to  a  panel  of  entrepreneur  judges,  covering  a  product  /  prototype  demo,  business  model,  customer  experience  and  

 

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profitability  model.      The  next  Startup  Weekend  York  Region  is  on  January  23-­‐25,  2015  at  the  Seneca  College  Markham  campus.    

 

Global  Impact  Competitions  (http://global.singularityu.org/gic/)  are  annual  competitions  held  in  partnership  with  sponsor  organizations  worldwide  and  organized  by  geography  and  theme.  These  competitions  act  as  a  platform  to  identify  outstanding  entrepreneurs,  leaders,  scientists  and  engineers  with  the  most  innovative  social  enterprise  ideas  for  positively  impacting  millions  of  lives  locally  and  globally  within  the  next  3-­‐5  years.  The  winner  of  each  competition  is  invited  to  attend  the  Graduate  Studies  Program  (GSP)  at  Singularity  University  free  of  charge  (or  receive  reduced  fees).    ventureLAB  is  sponsoring  the  next  Global  Impact  Competition  in  York  Region,  on  April  2,  2015.  

     

 

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    “Where  can  I  find  

help  in  York  Region  to  start  my  

business?”  

“I  need  to  find  funding  for  my  

business  –  where  do  I  begin?    What  do  I  include  in  an  

investor  presentation?”  

"We're  just  months  away  from  launching  our  product."  

"I  need  help  to  grow  my  business."  

Canadian  federal  government       X     X  Chambers  of  Commerce  and  Boards  of  Trade  

      X  

Futurpreneur  Canada       X      Municipal  libraries   X        National  Research  Council-­‐Industrial  Research  Assistance  Program  (IRAP)  

  X      

Ontario  Centres  of  Excellence  (OCE)  

X   X   X   X  

Province  of  Ontario's  Business  Advisory  Services    

      X  

Seneca  College  (including  HELIX)  

X   X   X    

Small  Business  Enterprise  Centres  (SBECs)  

X   X     X  

Starter  Company       X      Startup  York   X       X  Summer  Company       X      TechConnex           X  ventureLAB   X   X   X   X  York  Angel  Investors       X      York  Entrepreneurship  Development  Institute  

X        

York  Region  Business  Series           X  York  University  (including  Innovation  York  and  LaunchYU)  

X   X   X