These incubators are hatching the titans of tomorrow
MaRS
What it is: Toronto’s mecca of innovation. The organization offers 1.5-million square feet of office space in four towers along Hospital Row.
Who it’s for: Companies in the early stages of growth in four areas: health, finance, energy, and work and learning.
What they get: Access to incubator and accelerator programs like MaRS Start and MaRS Growth, and investments like the MaRS Catalyst Fund for corporate social responsibility. What it costs: Free.
notable tenants: Facebook, Airbnb, PayPal, League.
Ryerson DMZ
What it is: The best university incubator in North America, according to the research firm UBI Global. It opened a New York outpost in June.
Who it’s for: Pre–funding stage start-ups with working prototypes.
What they get: Office space, pitch workshops, one-on-one meetings with investors, and access to an advisory council with big shots like ex–Wind Mobile CEO Anthony Lacavera and former CBCer Kirstine Stewart. What it costs: $400 a month.
notable tenants: Dot Health, an app that helps people access their medical records; AccessNow, a service that allows people to find accessible bars, restaurants and the like.
OneEleven
What it is: A start-up network and co-working space in a sleek, sprawling Front Street facility. Who it’s for: Start-ups that have raised between $1 million and $5 million. What they get: Meetings with investors, founder events, and Ping-Pong and foosball tables. What it costs: A desk in an
open-concept office starts at $500 a month.
nOTAble TenAnTS: Zoom, an AI executive assistant; Dropbike, a bike-sharing service.
The Founder City Project
WHAT IT IS: A network of CEOs and start-up types. Members meet in small groups monthly and can sign up for in-depth training on scaling, recruiting, diversity, and more.
WHO IT’S fOR: Founders and tech employees in the Toronto-Waterloo corridor.
WHAT THey geT: Mentoring, peer-learning sessions and exclusive networking events.
WHAT IT cOSTS: $850 for male trainees, free for women.
nOTAble AlumnI: Wattpad, Big Viking Games, VarageSale.
Next Canada
WHAT IT IS: A nationwide non-profit that offers three different programs for developing founders and start-ups.
WHO IT’S fOR: Next 36 is an eight-month accelerator for companies; Next Founders trains individual entrepreneurs; and a new stream, Next AI, helps start-ups in artificial intelligence.
WHAT THey geT: Mentoring from a network that includes Hubba’s Ben Zifkin and Top Hat’s Mike Silagadze; an intensive business-building curriculum; a chance to pitch to investors; and access to advisers in operations, sales and media relations.
WHAT IT cOSTS: Free. membeRS: Staffy, an Uberstyle temp service; Crowdbabble, a social analytics firm.
nOTAble AlumnI: Bridgit, which makes management software for construction sites; Sampler, a product sample delivery service.
INcubes
WHAT IT IS: A 12-week boot camp of workshops and mentoring that culminates with “demo day,” a chance for start-ups to pitch their companies to investors.
WHO IT’S fOR: Established start-ups can enroll in the Accelerator program, while new companies can enter the less-intensive Funnel stream.
WHAT THey geT: Mentoring, office space, legal and accounting services, and access to an international exchange program with placements in New York and Hong Kong.
WHAT IT cOSTS: 7.5 per cent of the company’s equity.
nOTAble AlumnI: Limelight, an event marketing software; the data analytics firm Qoints; the portable home security system Alertly.