Starter Company Plus

starter-company

grow

Starter Company Plus

The Starter Company Plus program offered through Kingston Economic Development Corporation with funding from the Government of Ontario, is designed to provide business training for entrepreneurs aged 18 and over with the opportunity to pitch for a non-repayable grant of up to $5,000 to start or grow your business. This program is delivered twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall.

While the Starter Company Plus initiative is open to eligible individuals (see below for eligibility criteria), the training and mentoring is a mandatory aspect of this program geared toward assisting those in need of business knowledge and support.

What You Get

Through Starter Company Plus, you receive:

· The opportunity to pitch for a non-repayable business grant of up to $5,000
· One-on-one guidance from a Small Business Enterprise Centre advisor
· Professional business workshops, seminars and networking events
· Training for entrepreneurs from business plan development to financial planning and marketing
· Access to a professional business mentor with experience in starting, expanding or buying a small business

“The Starter Company Plus bootcamp really helped me organize my thoughts, and put all the swirling in my brain down on paper. I hope to create new connections, and gain knowledge and confidence from ongoing mentor support. The Starter Company Plus provides the village that I am needing to expand and grow Rampant Kitchen.

– Elisa Corrigan, Owner of Rampant Kitchen

Interested In Applying For The Starter Company Plus Program?

Timeline for 2024 Fall Cohort: 

September 23 – October 11, 2024 – Application window open
October 15 – 25, 2024 – Mandatory Asynchronous Business Bootcamp
November 11, 2024 – Final day to submit business plan and pitch
November 29, 2024 – Participants notified of the results of the judging panel
January – April 2025 – coaching and mentorship program 

Applications are now closed!

To be eligible, the applicant must:

· not be currently attending school on a full-time basis nor intending to return to school;
· be a resident of Ontario;
· be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident;
· be 18 years of age or older at the time of application;
· not have full-time employment outside of the Project at the time of funding;
· not be receiving social assistance ie. ODSP;
· be fully responsible for the ongoing operations and decisions of the Project and is the majority partner or shareholder;
· not be enrolled in other provincial business startup programs that include financial assistance;
· not be currently enrolled concurrently in any self-employment programs offered by government-funded organizations;
· be expected to match the grant amount they are requesting with a 25% personal investment (eg. a $2000 grant will require a $500 personal contribution in the business);
· not have previously received Starter Company or Starter Company Plus funding in Ontario; and
· business training is mandatory in order to submit an application

To be eligible, the business must:

· be proposing to start a new business or expand an existing business that is 5 years or younger with proof of sales;
· not be a business that relies on national sales frameworks ie. Pyramid Marketing;
· be a legal business in Ontario;
· not be a franchise;
· operate full-time as defined in the business plan;
· have a separate bank account in order to maintain books and records;
· follow all government rules and regulations and applicable by-laws for the operation of the business; and
· be sales ready at the time of funding

Suitability

While the Starter Company Plus initiative is open to eligible individuals, the training and mentoring is a mandatory aspect of this program geared toward assisting those in need of business knowledge and support.

Approval into the Starter Company Plus initiative is competitive and eligible applicants may not all be accepted.

Meet the 2024 Spring Starter Company Plus Cohort

CP Logic by Cedric Pepelea
CP Logic is a fully remote boutique energy services consulting company comprised of Cedric Pepelea, working with a select group of subcontractors and partners to design and implement energy efficiency programs and projects. CP Logic’s missions is to accelerate the scale of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in Canada by focusing on a collaborative approach.

Editless by Sky Skrotzki
At Editless, we empower brands and creators of all sizes to easily produce compelling online video content with our array of tools, resources, and custom services. Our aim is to assist you in enhancing your online presence and brand growth through engaging and authentic content.

Evergreen Health Collective by Aimee Shaw
Evergreen Health Collective is an integrative clinic offering Acupuncture, Chiropractic, Registered Massage Therapy, Psychotherapy, Harmonic Egg, Holistic Nutrition and Holistic Newborn and Lactation Coaching. We strive to be a place where our clients feel confident and safe in our care. Guided by our core values which include Connection, Compassion, and Education, all of our providers look to teach and empower our clients in their individual and family care goals.

Flourish Psychotherapy Kingston by Jessica Green
Flourish Psychotherapy Kingston offers virtual individual therapy sessions to adults 18 years of age and older throughout Ontario. I use a client-centered approach to therapy with those experiencing difficulty with anxiety, depression, burnout, postpartum anxiety and depression, life transitions, grief, and more. I am passionate about empowering others to heal and grow toward their goals, and I am excited to begin helping the Kingston community.

myoKingston Pain Clinic by Jillian Murphy
myoKingston Pain Clinic is a mobile clinic currently offering myoActivation® treatments for acute and chronic pain at two locations in Kingston, Ontario. myoActivation® is a unique structured system of assessment and treatment designed to reduce the myofascial components of chronic pain. It’s distinguished from other treatments in it’s approach to identifying the source of the pain and the system of trigger point needling used to release muscles in sustained contraction, fascia under tension, and relevant scars with the aim of resolving pain.

Rampant Kitchen by Elisa Corrigan
Rampant Kitchen provides custom catering for events, prepared meals and personalized cooking classes. We can create fresh catering for your next family function, prep meals for your busy week, or help you plan your next big celebration with ease. We believe in the ‘Eat Global, taste Local’, philosophy, and source from local farmers and purveyors.

Virtual Encounters by Peter Young
Virtual Encounters is a business-to-business service offering end-to-end virtual reality integration consulting, staff training support, and event hosting services. Our goal is to help businesses leverage the power of VR technology in every aspect. From enhancing training and workplace cohesion to improving customer engagement and brand loyalty, Virtual Encounters helps implement effective, efficient, and economical solutions that bring businesses one step closer to the future of commerce experiences.

Wemmigration by Shirin Shafiei Zadeh
Wemmigration is a digital platform designed to (i) train new and existing Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) and Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs) with professional development hours they require each year, and (ii) use artificial intelligence features to automate detection of fraudulent immigration practices. The ultimate goal of Wemmigration is to minimize fraudulent practice, minimize incompetent immigration advising, and help potential newcomers not to fall for unauthorized practices.

Wild Lily Seed Co. by Michella Kaduc
Wild Lily Seed Co. is an online edible perennial seed company that provides gardeners with seed and plant propagation material for cold hardy crops of roots, leaves, flowers, fruits and vegetables. Our website and YouTube channel provide all the information required to successfully grow, preserve and enjoy your garden harvests.

Yarker Pharmacy by Dan Nguyen
Yarker Pharmacy, owned by Dan Nguyen and Leonard Chan, is poised to provide pharmaceutical care and products to improve medical conditions in Yarker, Ontario, and its surrounding regions. Offering a range of services including vaccinations, medication refills, and minor ailment assessments, the pharmacy aims to enhance accessibility to healthcare services in the area.

Norman Musengimana Headshot

Contact Norman Musengimana

Business Development Manager,
Start-Ups & Entrepreneurship
613-544-2725 x 7222
Cell: 613-217-0932
musengimana@investkingston.ca

Frequently Asked Questions

In order to receive funding, the business can be a new start-up, an acquisition (i.e. the participant is purchasing a business from a retiring entrepreneur) or an existing business that is less than 5 years old. As long as the applicant is fully responsible for the ongoing operation and decisions of the business and is the majority shareholder in the case of a corporation, most types of businesses are allowed under the program.

To be eligible, a business or proposed business must:

  • be proposing to start a new business or expand an existing business that is 5 years or younger with proof of sales;
  • not be a business that relies on national sales frameworks ie. Pyramid Marketing;
  • not be a drop-shipping business;
  • be a legal business in Ontario;
  • not be a franchise;
  • operate full-time as defined in the business plan
  • have a separate bank account in order to maintain books and records;
  • follow all government rules and regulations and applicable by-laws for the operation of the business; and
  • be sales-ready at the time of funding

Yes. A business or proposed business may be a sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation, but the grant can only be given to one person in the company. For corporations and partnerships, the recipient must own at least 50% of the shares. The Starter Company Plus recipient must be responsible for the ongoing management of the firm. In addition, if there are two partners only one is eligible to receive the Starter Company Plus grant of up to $5,000 for a specific business idea (grants will not be given to multiple individuals for the same business idea).

Participants may receive up to $5,000 in funding. Participants are expected to match the grant amount they are requesting with a 25% personal investment (eg. a $5000 grant will require a $1250 personal contribution in the business). This may include asset-based or in-kind contributions at fair market value, such as equipment or machinery required to run the business, e.g., ladders/scaffolding for a painting company, camera and lenses for a photographer. In-kind contributions may not include “sweat equity” (a contribution in the form of effort as opposed to a financial contribution) or loans or other types of loaned support.

Yes. Participants who receive a Starter Company Plus grant must sign an agreement that outlines their responsibilities under the program. If they do not adhere to this agreement, they will be considered in default of the program and recovery of all grant monies disbursed.

A grant committee made up of local business professionals, entrepreneurs and private sector stakeholders will review final applications and determine which applicants are accepted and the amount of funding a proposal receives.

Acceptance decisions are based on:

· feasibility of the proposed business;
· proposed business’ potential for growth and job creation;
· start-up budget and financing needs of the proposed business;
· cash and in-kind contributions of the applicant;
· applicant’s overall participation in the training program; and
· regional economic development priorities based on specific industry sectors

Yes. Even if a proposal is not selected to receive funding, a participant can still participate in the training and mentoring components of the program to help them open a business. This is dependent on the number of seats available in training and mentoring.

Yes. There is no restriction against participants receiving Employment Insurance (EI), however, once you register and start the business you are no longer eligible for EI as a self-employed person.

Those participating in Starter Company Plus may not be enrolled at the same time in the Ontario Works Self Employment Development program, Summer Company, or any other similar programs offered by government-funded organizations. However, it is possible to access these programs sequentially. For example, someone who has started a business through Summer Company may later apply to participate in Starter Company Plus in order to take their business to the next level. Similarly, participants may apply to Futurpreneur (formerly the Canadian Youth Business Foundation) after receiving Starter Company Plus funding and mentoring, provided that they apply in the first year of operation of their business.

Yes. A potential applicant to the program who is enrolled in part-time schooling or training (part-time is defined as 1 course per semester) is eligible for participation in the Starter Company Plus program. You must be prepared to satisfy program training and mentoring requirements and commit a minimum average of 30 hours per week to running your business.

No. The intent of Starter Company Plus is to help people launch a new business or expand an existing business where other forms of financing are unavailable. Those working full-time in a separate field are not eligible. You may work part-time and still apply. A part-time job is defined as no more than 20 hours per week.

Starter Company Plus is a provincial program, but you must apply in the municipality where you reside and where your business is located. In the Kingston region, all applications are submitted to the Kingston Economic Development Corporation office.