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YorkU (YSpace)

Toronto, OntarioFoundations & Ecosystem-BuildingMember

York's pan-university entrepreneurship innovation hub

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Located in Toronto, York University is the 3rd largest university in Canada, with a community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty

Type

University-backed (ie. the University is the formal entity)

Founded

1959

Affiliation

York University

YSpace operates physical innovation hubs on campus to foster community and collaboration. They emphasize founder-first approach with leadership development and focus on connecting entrepreneurs with investors and industry leaders through networking events and vetted connections.

Industries

Food & beverageGeneral/industry agnostic

Focus Areas

Women entrepreneurshipBlack entrepreneurshipTechnology startupsConsumer-packaged goodsAgrifood

Sourced from website

Stages supported

IdeaDiscoveryValidationEfficiencyScale

Services offered

  • Access to free or discounted licenses for products or devkits
  • Discounted and/or free professional services (legal, accounting, bookkeeping, etc.)
  • Financing opportunities and connections with investor groups
  • Free educational events or programming (ie. lunch and learns)
  • Intellectual property education and assistance (Includes: patent, trademark and copyright evaluation, intellectual property strategy, protection and licensing)
  • Mentorship and access to advisors
  • Networking opportunities and community events
  • Office space, co-working environment
  • Paid programming (cash)
  • Practical prototype/MVP development assistance
  • Regulatory assistance
  • Trade and export support (Includes: Business development missions, internationalization, and any other activities linked to international market development)
Foundations & Ecosystem-Buildingmedium confidence

Build the entrepreneurial foundations and an innovation platform for ventures and founders to build from

Sector-agnostic (broad industry focus). Flexible accountability (community-oriented, earlier-stage).

Learn more about the four BAI types →

Customized Mentorship

other

Matching entrepreneurs with mentors and subject matter experts from similar industries or with similar lived experiences

Dedicated Programming

other

Suite of programs targeting technology and consumer-packaged goods space with diversity streams in women and Black entrepreneurship

Startup Lifecycle Support

incubator

Programs designed to meet entrepreneurs where they are in the lifecycle and offer support as they grow

Venture Catalyst Showcase

event

Networking event

Sourced from website

BC

Bioenterprise Canada

Guelph, Ontario

Canada's Food Agri-Tech Engine

Bioenterprise is a national, non-profit business accelerator that provides scientific and technical expertise, industry knowledge, business services, and global connections to help companies in the agriculture, agri-food, and bio-based products.

Advanced materials & advanced manufacturingAgricultureClean technologies+2
Finesse
HC

Humber Centre for Entrepreneurship

Toronto, Ontario

Established in 1967, Humber is one of Canada’s leading postsecondary institutions. Committed to student success through excellence in teaching and learning, Humber serves 31,000 full-time students and 56,000 continuing education registrants. With an internationally recognized reputation for quality learning, Humber offers a wide-range of career-focused opportunities for students to personalize their educational path, including 180 full-time programs across more than 40 fields of study, 200 part-time and 60 online programs or courses. More than four out of five of Humber graduates are employed within six months of completing their studies.

General/industry agnostic
Foundations & Ecosystem-Building
KR

KITE Research Institute

Toronto, Ontario

KITE is a world leader in complex rehabilitation with 100 scientists dedicated to improving the lives of people living with the effects of disability, illness, and aging. KITE is one of the principal research enterprises at the University Health Network (UHN), Canada's top medical research hospital with more than $539 million in total annual research expenditures and 1,194 principal investigators (2023).

General/industry agnostic
University
Finesse
M

MaRS

Toronto, Ontario

We help innovators build a better world

MaRS supports Canada’s most promising startups — helping them grow, create jobs and solve society’s greatest challenges. From advisory services to connections to talent, capital, customers and more, MaRS offers a range of high-value services that help high-growth companies succeed. We also provide access to the MaRS ecosystem, a curated community of entrepreneurs, investors, corporates, academics and government partners. MaRS Discovery District is a not-for-profit corporation founded in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 2000.

General/industry agnostic
Finesse