Toronto, O.N. December 14, 2015 – Startup Canada announced today two new communities will join its national network of Startup Canada Communities in 2016 to accelerate entrepreneurial growth in their areas.
The Startup Canada Communities Program is the flagship program of Startup Canada, a national movement recognized globally as a best practice in fuelling grassroots entrepreneurship.
Startup Peel Region and Startup Sarnia-Lambton join 22 Startup Canada Communities supported by the national program to link their entrepreneurs with local and cross-national resources, mentors, funding, and space through both an online and off-line hyper-connected network.
“To build a nation synonymous with innovation, entrepreneurship and social progress, every entrepreneur, every community and every community leader has a role to play in supporting local startups and small businesses,” says Victoria Lennox, CEO and co-founder of Startup Canada. “We are thrilled to see Peel Region and Sarnia-Lambton join the Startup Canada Communities network because in doing so the regions are making a long-term commitment to champion entrepreneurship as a driver of economic, social, and cultural development for the collective prosperity of their residents and for all Canadians.”
Since the pilot project began in 2013, more than 1, 000 startups have registered in Startup Canada Communities from coast to coast, and over 500 Startup Canada Community events have brought together more than 10,000 entrepreneurs.
“With Startup Peel accepted as an official community under the Startup Canada umbrella, entrepreneurs in Peel will be more connected than ever to opportunities, events, mentorship, coworking spaces, and networking through a single channel where they can meet other founders and start and grow their business,” said Melloney Campbell, entrepreneur and Community Lead at Startup Peel. “With this connectivity, we look forward to showcasing the work of our entrepreneurs to the community, the rest of Canada and the world.”
“Sarnia-Lambton is pleased to be chosen to be a part of the Startup Canada network,” says Jon Milos, Community Lead at Startup Sarnia-Lambton and Director of Entrepreneurship at Lambton College. “This provides an opportunity for entrepreneurs in our community to build their national networks and an opportunity for Sarnia-Lambton to further showcase our impressive entrepreneurial ecosystem.”
Throughout the year, the Startup Canada Communities will engage entrepreneurs through regular organized events including seminars, networking events, Startup Weekends, and more to accelerate entrepreneurial growth. Once a month, Startup Canada Community leaders convene online to exchange ideas, discuss mutual challenges and share best practices.
The new Startup Canada Communities were announced at Startup Canada’s 2015 #EveryEntrepreneur Tour Finale in Toronto. The national, non-profit organization travelled the country this fall to provide new opportunities to thousands of Canadian entrepreneurs as they start and grow their companies and to provide a platform for entrepreneurs to voice needs and calls-to-action to better the environment for entrepreneur-run businesses.
For more information on Startup Canada Communities, the Startup Canada #EveryEntrepreneur Tour, or other Startup Canada programs, visit www.startupcan.ca or contact:
Kathryn Forrest
Communications & Marketing Manager, Startup Canada
1-844-782-7801 ext. 106
press@startupcan.ca
@Startup_Canada
About Startup Canada
Startup Canada is a grassroots network of more than 125,000 entrepreneurs and more than 500 like-minded organizations that support entrepreneurs and small businesses as the voice of Canada’s startup community. Learn more at startupcan.ca.