Starter Company Plus Grant – Trade Accelerator Stream

Hidden Fields
Please Read Before Completing Application - Grant Program Requirements
Starter Company Plus Grant – Trade Accelerator Stream provides businesses with targeted training and support to help them build export capacity and accelerate growth in international markets.

If you are a business in the City of Toronto, the Starter Company Plus Grant – Trade Accelerator Stream can provide the following support:
  • practical training,
  • expert mentorship, and
  • a micro-grant of $5,000.
Program Eligibility:
  • Please read the eligibility criteria below carefully. Decisions regarding eligibility and other program considerations are subject to final decision by the Manager of Entrepreneurship Services.
  • Applicant must meet the following criteria to be eligible for consideration for the Starter Company Plus Grant – Trade Accelerator Stream.
Applicant Requirements:
  • Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident,
  • Be 18 years of age or older,
  • Not be attending school or planning to return to school while enrolled in the program,
  • Be devoting a minimum of 35 hours per week to their small business and not employed anywhere else,
  • Not be enrolled in any other government-funded program,
  • Reside in the Province of Ontario with the ability to demonstrate proof of physical address.
Business Requirements:

Eligible entrepreneurs must also have small businesses that meet the following criteria
  • Must be incorporated under the laws of Canada, a province or a territory;
  • Be a for-profit company;
  • Must be located in Toronto with ability to demonstrate proof of physical address;
  • Must have an active Business Number (BN) at the time of application (The nine-digit business number (BN) is a unique account identifier associated only with your business. It streamlines how your business deals with the federal government of Canada and gives entrepreneurs access to important Canada Revenue Agency accounts. The BN is issued by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA));
  • Must have a commercial business bank account at the time of application which corresponds with Business Registration documentation;
  • Must have been in operation for minimum 2 years and be able to demonstrate financial activity statements for this period;
  • Must have majority ownership and the ability to demonstrate proof of ownership and/or shareholder agreement;
  • Must be generated over $50,000 in annual revenue;
  • Businesses that require certification and/or license must be current at the time of application;
  • Must not be past recipient of the MRRI-Retail Accelerator Program and any stream of the Starter Company Plus Grant (including Retail Accelerator Program (RAP), Female Founders, General Business, etc.) from the City of Toronto Small Business Enterprise Centre or other Small Business Enterprise Centres within Ontario;
  • Must be able to commit to in-person and/or virtual entrepreneurship training;
  • Must have already invested at least 25% of the grant amount ($1,250) into the business at the time of application (e.g. marketing, equipment, commercial rent, or other legitimate business expenses).
Ineligible Businesses:

Ineligible entities include:

  • Individuals;
  • Other financial support programs or funds, either public or private;
  • Public relations agencies or marketing agencies;
  • Entities or subsidiaries of a parent company;
  • Recipients who have received the MRRI-Retail Accelerator Program and any stream of the Starter Company Plus Grant (including Retail Accelerator Program (RAP), Female Founders, General Business, etc.) from the City of Toronto Small Business Enterprise Centre or other Small Business Enterprise Centres within Ontario.
Toronto Small Business Enterprise Centre reserves the right to determine the types of businesses accepted into the Starter Company Plus Grant Program. The program will assess the eligibility of each applicant, including their business, proposed project, and related expenses.

Please note that only successful applicants will be contacted. Participation in the Trade Accelerator Stream is highly competitive, and submitting an eligible application does not guarantee funding.

Evaluation Process:

Applications for the Starter Company Plus Grant – Trade Accelerator Stream will be evaluated by a review committee of experienced City staff based on the following selection criteria:

  • The application should meet business and applicant requirements.
  • Business viability will be assessed based on:
    • Proof of concept: showing evidence that your business product or service has been tested or demonstrated in a real-world scenario, indicating its feasibility and potential for market success.
    • Customer validation: demonstrating demand for your product or service in the market.
    • Clear revenue model: identifying one or more revenue/sales channels.
  • Evaluation of the proposed business's potential for growth and its ability to create jobs.
  • Assessment of the start-up budget and financing requirements of the business.
Application Processing Time:
  • The program will acknowledge receipt of your application by email. It is your responsibility to contact the program provider if you have not received an acknowledgement receipt within 2 days of submitting your application.
A few notes to consider before starting your application:
  • Before preceding to the application form, please make sure to have the following documents ready:
    • Business Registration Documents (all pages of Articles of Incorporation for Provincial or Federal Corporations)
    • Proof of Business Address (copy of property tax, or water/hydro utility bill). All provided documents must display your business name.
  • Please note that additional documents or information may be requested if you are selected to proceed to the next stage of the application process.
If you have any questions about this application or require accessibility support, accommodations, or an alternative format, please email StarterCompany@toronto.ca using your business email account.

Information collected on this application form is considered business information and will be maintained as a business record. Business information could be publicly available and/or disclosed upon request, unless an exception applies.
Starter Company Plus Grant Program Eligibility - Page 1 – Screening Questions
  • You are not eligible to participate in this program if you have previously received a Starter Company Grant from the Toronto Small Business Enterprise Centre (formerly known as Enterprise Toronto) or any other Small Business Enterprise Centre in Ontario.
  • This program is only open to Ontario residents who have been operating a business for minimum 2 years in the City of Toronto. Based on your response, you are not eligible to proceed with this application.
  • This program is only open to City of Toronto residents who have been operating a business for minimum 2 years in Toronto. Based on your response, you are not eligible to proceed with this application.
  • This program is only open to City of Toronto residents who have been operating a business for minimum 2 years in Toronto. Based on your response, you are not eligible to proceed with this application.
  • This program is open to City of Toronto residents who have been operating a business for minimum 2 years in Toronto and must either be currently exporting or have a clear plan to begin exporting within the next 6 months. Based on your response, you are not eligible to proceed with this application.
  • This program requires mandatory training and is only open to City of Toronto residents and businesses that are committed to participating in the learning components of the Starter Company Plus Grant Program. Based on your response, you are not eligible to proceed with this application.
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