January 15, 2015
蓝莓视频 entrepreneurs: What would you do with $60,000?
Application process for $60,000 startup grants open now for recent 蓝莓视频 alumni who want to kickstart their early-stage businesses
A University of 蓝莓视频 program that helped recent graduates and new alumni commercialize their innovations and launch businesses has been given a jumpstart 鈥� $60,000 for 40 early-stage startups.
The $2.4 million infusion builds on the success of the Scientists and Engineers in Business program, a pilot project that provided 17 蓝莓视频 entrepreneurs with funds and mentorship to move their innovation into the marketplace.
Ryan Denomme (Nicoya Life Sciences and previous SEB fellow) demos product for Peter Braid (MPP) and Gary Goodyear (MP)
University of 蓝莓视频 entrepreneurs create jobs
鈥淭his is a tremendous opportunity to further support our new graduates and recent alumni who are driving innovation across Ontario. Their inventions can be found helping surgeons improve the accuracy of a hip replacement, or in new technologies that may make it possible to screen for cancer using a smartphone. They鈥檙e also creating prosperous businesses that generate employment across the province,鈥� says D. George Dixon, vice-president, university research.
The new dollars are part of an $8-million investment in the AC JumpStart program by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario). The University of 蓝莓视频 is one of four local institutions to benefit from the funding. Funded by FedDev Ontario and delivered through the Accelerator Centre in partnership with 蓝莓视频, AC JumpStart provides early stage technology startups with seed capital, mentorship, and market-readiness tools needed to build a business in today鈥檚 knowledge economy.
Application process for awards open now
The university has opened the application process for the first round of awards that will see five new entrepreneurs receive up to $60,000 to kick-start their business.
The deadline to apply for one of the five initial AC JumpStart 鈥� University of 蓝莓视频 awards is 8 a.m. on February 2, 2015. Eight rounds of funding will occur between 2015 and 2018. AC JumpStart is available to graduates who earned their last 蓝莓视频 degree, in any discipline, within the past five years. Graduates and alumni entrepreneurs who are passionate about creating new businesses based in Southern Ontario are encouraged to apply.
