Programs
Startups Bootcamp
Innovatus Center’s Startups Bootcamp is an intensive program that connects early-stage Indigenous and at-risk youth entrepreneurs with professional service providers to teach foundational intellectual property, legal, financial and funding basics that will provide a strong start to their business.
We are proud to offer our startup entrepreneurs access to professional service providers during bi-monthly Bootcamp workshops to help provide the basics of starting a tech-based business. Our professional service providers will also offer a follow-on opportunity for Innovatus Center’s entrepreneurs to meet one-on-one with business mentors for a more detailed discussion.
We’ve forged strong partnerships with top-tier organizations, who are committed to helping entrepreneurs and fostering innovation. Professional representatives from our partner organizations meet with our participants to understand their business and offer strategic advice catered to each entrepreneur’s business needs and requirements.s
Entrepreneur’s Toolkit
Facilitated by experienced entrepreneurs and valued at $600 per workshop series, the Innovatus Center Entrepreneur Workshops are provided to Innovatus Center members free of charge, Entrepreneur Workshops are a collection of hands-on group sessions offering start-ups the tools, mentoring, and peer feedback to solve specific problems and build essential business components. Each four-hour workshop generates a deliverable, which can be used in their future business development endeavors.
Keynote Speakers
Innovatus works with several successful companies which allows us to meet highly-esteemed, knowledgeable and experienced entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs have committed to take time out of their busy schedules to meet with and discuss strategies with Innovatus members. Innovatus Center’s Keynote Speakers host seminars that provide educational training and networking on various business-related topics. These series are open to the public and startup entrepreneurs in the community. The topics are customized to ensure accelerated growth for Innovatus Center’s technology-focused clients. Each session includes lunch, a speaker presentation, Q&A, and networking time. These events are free for participants and graduates of the Innovatus Center Incubator program.
Conferences
Innovatus encourages our members to get involved with their local boards of trade and other organizations for networking opportunities. Innovatus offers access to conferences and other useful discussions concerning the member’s business ideas.
Workshop Initiatives
Innovatus aims to be a helping hand and to build the business to stimulate the economy. Innovatus has a goal to connect communities and support those in need through events and initiatives such as classes, seminars, and innovative workshops around the GTA and the province of Ontario, participation in other incubator and accelerator activities, supporting and partnering with local charity organizations to help achieve our common visions.
Our incubator program helps startups because it is designed for high-potential tech startups looking to grow their go-to-market capabilities. It features top-tier mentors and advisors, expert-led workshops, founder peer-to-peer networking, and access to well-equipped co-working office space and mentorship provided by the Centre.
Innovatus will give access to industry experts who can guide participants through marketing and branding, go-to-market strategy, financial planning, and investment readiness.
Mentorship and Guidance through...
- CEO peer-to-peer learning sessions where you can share best practices, learn from each other, and network
- Dedicated support to helping you smart-track your business to market
Funding and Partners
- Exposure to funding opportunities
- One-on-one coaching with experienced fundraisers to help get you investment ready
- When ready, introductions to public and private funders
Community and Connections
- Access to our network of 15+ advisors
- Opportunities to network with strategic partners, investors, and potential customers
- Support to help you achieve your strategic milestones
Interested applicants should be...
- A First Nations group or individual
- Young entrepreneurs
- A committed entrepreneur, with at least one full-time founder or employee
- A collaborative and coachable leadership team, committed to the end goal of success
Our core services for entrepreneurs and startups are focused on helping Innovatus companies accelerate their growth. Innovatus Centre provides a broad range of sector-specific services to entrepreneurs, startups, and growth-ready companies in the Technology sector. This includes mentoring services, access to funding channels, available market research and knowledge-based databases, and connection to industry, government, and academic influencers.
If you have an idea for a new, innovative, technology-based product or service and are starting to research the opportunity and build the first version. If you have identified a problem in the marketplace and built a first version, prototype, or minimum viable product solution, Innovatus helps with your validation of product-market fit and identification of strategies to close a pilot customer. We also work with members to set up processes that help them start selling. If our participant has overcome the preliminary product development and sales hurdles and is ready for dynamic growth, Innovatus has partners in industry, government, and academia with the power, knowledge, and will to help our members take the next big step with their business. If our participant represents a mature company that needs to be reinvigorated with the introduction of entrepreneurial innovation, Innovatus can connect its customers with the startups and the people in the industry, government, and academia that can help our members gain the power to move their company to the next level.
Our purpose and objectives are for Canada to realize the economic benefits of innovation and job creation. Our Incubator Program plays a major role by assisting Indigenous groups to overcome barriers specific to their experience so that they can undertake their longer-term integration in the Canadian business world. Our Incubator Program and related services aim to provide at-risk youth and First Nations entrepreneurs with the information required to build networks within their new ventures.
Innovatus brings together the innovation community to grow the economy and make an impact. From advisory services to connections to talent, capital, customers, and more, Innovatus offers a range of high-value services that help high-growth companies succeed. We also provide access to the Innovatus network, a curated community of entrepreneurs, investors, corporates, academics, and government partners.
We help high-impact Canadian tech ventures grow and succeed. From startups to scale-ups, Innovatus offers a range of services that help tech founders grow their companies and create meaningful innovation: solving real problems for real people. We have worked with hundreds of companies across the country, turning breakthrough ideas into products and services with global impacts.
Among our many services, Innovatus-supported companies receive...
- Advisory support and connections to talent
- Benefit from expert advice on all aspects of the business; attract and retain highly-skilled workers
- Access to investors
- Connect with like-minded VCs, funds, and investors from around the world
- Connections to partners
- Build valuable relationships with potential customers, corporates, governments, and fellow startups
Early-Stage Services
We offer an extensive range of online and in-person resources to help you grow your business.
We will provide you with:
- Startup Toolkit
- Workshops
- Market Intelligence
- Entrepreneurship 101
Growth Services
Companies accepted into our Growth Services program gain access to all Early-Stage Services, as well as a range of tailored services.
We will provide you with…
- Advice on capital, sales, marketing, talent and recruitment, and regulatory
- 1:1 expert mentorship
- Connections to investors, customers, and partners
- Growth Marketing and sales programming
- Media and PR promotion
- Referrals to other Investment Accelerator Funds
- Peer-to-peer events; event news, discounts, and speaking opportunities
- Curated newsletter with exclusive offers
Taking your business from startup to scale-up is hard. But high-growth companies—those on track to earn over $100 million in revenue—are the anchor firms of the Canadian economy, so it’s vital they receive the support they need to succeed.
We will also provide our members with…
- Access to a global, curated community of C-suite executives
- Data-driven diagnostic and insight tools
- Customized executive services (organizational design, culture, leadership, sales acceleration, international expansion, IP, risk, financial controls, and M&A)
- PR, media, regulatory, and public affairs assistance
- Growth, sales, and marketing support
We offer two tracks based on your level of entrepreneurship.
Please read further below…
Foundations
Members have a great idea for a product but don’t know where to start? Foundations help burgeoning founders learn the business basics — crafting a mission statement, understanding your customer, building your minimum viable product, and so much more. This course is ideal for those who have been working on their product part-time and are seeking entry into the Innovatus startup community.
Advanced
Members have a minimum viable product but unsure of what’s next? Advanced track helps more experienced entrepreneurs navigate the complexities of getting a startup off the ground — constructing a business model canvas, securing finances, protecting intellectual property, and so on. This course is ideal for those looking to refine their product and vision, and leverage the Innovatus network’s talent and thought leaders.
Foundations Course Roadmap
Week one
Defining your product problem, mission, and vision statements, as well as company values.
Week two
Developing value proposition statement and canvas to find potential customers.
Week three
Test assumptions, conduct market research, and engage potential customers through interviews.
Week four
Continue customer development, unlock founder stories and build your low-fi minimum viable product.
Advanced Course Roadmap
Week one
Find out how to build winning teams and execute on your product, mission, and value proposition statements.
Week two
Construct a business model canvas, develop customer personas and present your lo-fi minimum viable product.
Week three
Discover financial models and metrics, as well as the keys to bootstrapping and securing funding.
Week four
Learn about the legal side of entrepreneurship to protect your brand and intellectual property, and assess your investment readiness.
What you can expect...
Make real progress in four weeks.
These courses are practical. We focus on tactics that accelerate growth. Our courses teach you how to launch a startup with proven methods.
Get support from the best.
Access live sessions and our community of entrepreneurs from around the world. Our courses are flexible, and we’ll be here to guide you each week.
See the world in a different way.
We connect you to experts with deep experience from many sectors and specializations. We’ll help you see patterns and opportunities where others see chaos.
Join a community of innovators.
Since our launch, Innovatus has helped many founders build and grow successful companies. Join a roster of alumni whose tech is solving real problems for real people — every day.
All course alumni receive a digital certificate of completion.
Startup Workshops
Led by veteran entrepreneurs, our workshops help companies that are starting out and scaling up.
When building a startup, you need to hone a wide range of skills — fast.
To do that, you need the best tools and entrepreneurial insights.
Our in-person and hands-on workshops tackle the challenges startups face. Learn how to get your business up and running; practice pitching to investors; plan your financials; and so much more.
These sessions also allow you to collaborate and network with peers and to receive mentorship from seasoned entrepreneurs.
We also can have members book a private workshop for their team.
Small-Group Advisory
As your company grows, so do the challenges. Innovatus Small Group Advisory advanced sessions help Grow-stage companies test hypotheses and workshop business strategies.
Open to select ventures, this series of half-day workshops focus on validation and product/market fit to build resilience in the face of volatility.
Held in small-group sessions of five ventures, this series covers core areas such as business model and customer discovery, customer segmentation, and product marketing. Additional complimentary sessions delve into topics such as where to grow next and capital strategy.
To be eligible, ventures need to have an existing minimum viable product and revenue (or be in the market).
Innovatus helps private and public organizations navigate volatility, grow the economy and create a better world.
We connect partners with the Innovatus network, an unmatched network of innovators, investors, and industry experts — all intending to change the world.
Innovatus collaborates with three kinds of partners…
Corporate
Large private and public companies looking to adopt — and adapt to — disruptive technologies that drive competitive advantage and create social impact.
Our partners include private and crown corporations, as well as government agencies.
Large organizations are the backbone of the economy, but to remain competitive, they need to keep pace with today’s fast-changing markets. They need new solutions for new problems.
Innovatus’ Corporate Partnerships introduces large organizations to a curated roster of companies. We help them adopt startups’ products and services so that they can continue to grow and succeed. As a neutral third party, we also support partners looking to make positive change across the innovation ecosystem.
Public Sector
Municipal, provincial and federal governments, as well as healthcare providers and post-secondary institutions, looking to modernize their policies and services to benefit Canadian citizens.
Community
Foundations and non-government organizations institutions tackling society’s most complex challenges.
