NOTICE: Applications for the intake of Starter Company Plus in Mississauga are now closed for 2024. Applications will open again in Summer of 2025, please subscribe to our newsletter to learn more about IDEA Mississauga’s additional supports for entrepreneurs.
Starter Company PLUS Program
The Starter Company PLUS program assists people 18 years and over who are interested in starting, expanding or purchasing a business in Mississauga.
The Starter Company PLUS Program is delivered by the Mississauga Business Entrepreneur Centre (MBEC) for the Mississauga area. The Program is funded by the Province of Ontario and is delivered by Small Business Entrepreneur Centres (“SBECs”) similar to MBEC across Ontario. If you are interested in starting, expanding or purchasing a business outside of the city of Mississauga, please refer to the list of Small Business Entrepreneur Centres and Community-Based Provider Locations in Ontario.
To apply to the Starter Company PLUS Program in Mississauga, you must confirm your eligibility to participate in the program and attend a mandatory information session. Attendance at the information session does not guarantee acceptance into the program or the receipt of a program grant.
Services offered by the Mississauga Business Entrepreneur Centre are available in French upon request for programs funded by the Province of Ontario. (Les services Le Centre d’encadrement des entrepreneurs de Mississauga sont disponible en Français sur demande pour les programmes financés par la province de l’Ontario. L’informations sur l’entreprise en démarrage plus est disponible en français ICI)
What does the Starter Company PLUS Program offer?
The program provides:
- Free training and business skills development
- Free mentorship and guidance
- Opportunity to apply for a program grant of up to $5,000 after the completion of mandatory training and mentorship.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
We have identified and answered the most commonly asked questions about this topic:
To be eligible for the Starter Company PLUS Program in Mississauga, the program applicant must meet ALL of the following eligibility requirements, which includes, but is not limited to:
- Be a resident of Ontario
- Be 18 years of age or older at the time of application
- Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada
- Not attending school full time nor returning to school
- Be proposing starting a new business, expanding an existing business or buying a business in Mississauga
- Be prepared to commit a minimum of 35 hours a week to running a full-time business
- Be prepared to attend scheduled mandatory training and mentorship meetings as per program schedule
- Not enrolled in other comparable provincial employment or self-employment related initiatives and programs that include or do not include financial assistance
- Not currently enrolled concurrently in any comparable self-employment or entrepreneurship training/financing initiatives and programs offered by government funded organizations
- Not have received a Starter Company Program or Starter Company Plus Program grant in the past
- If there are two or more partners in the business, the partner who is applying to the program must confirm a minimum of 51% ownership of the business to participate in the program and would be responsible to apply for the program grant
- Provide proof of 25% contribution of the potential program grant (up to $1250). Contributions can be in cash or in-kind contributions as approved by MBEC.
TO BE ELIGIBLE, A BUSINESS OR PROPOSED BUSINESS MUST:
- Be an independent business venture based in Mississauga
- Not be a business that relies on commissioned sales
- Be a legal business in Ontario
- Not be a franchise
- Operate at arm’s length from family business ventures
- Operate full-time as defined in the business plan
- Maintain its own books and records
- Have a Master Business License or Articles of Incorporation, or plan to register the business
- Maintain a separate bank account
- Follow all government rules and regulations and applicable by-laws for the operation of the business
- Demonstrate a viable and sales ready business plan at the time of funding application
Before you can apply to Mississauga’s Starter Company PLUS program, you must attend a mandatory Starter Company PLUS info session.
This information session will provide you with important information about the Starter Company PLUS program in Mississauga including:
- Eligibility requirements
- Program requirements and expectations
- Program training and mentorship, and schedule
- Information about the program grant opportunity
View the “GET STARTED & SIGN-UP” section above to view upcoming dates.
MEET THE 2023 GRANT RECIPIENTS
Avenjineers
Abdullah Al-Fadhli, owner and founder
Avenjineers is a company that was started in 2020 by Abdullah to combine the unbound realm of imagination with tangible physical reality. It is a company that utilizes additive manufacturing technologies like 3D printing to create and develop products from videogames, movies, and TV shows. This company is quite literally limitless, it aims at creating unimaginable products that would be admired by collectors worldwide
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Bellerby Design
Christine Bellerby, owner and founder
This company provides architectural design services for small scale construction projects, with guidance and support through the design, permit and build process, to put clients at ease, bring their dream spaces / structures to life and build a better future. They offer services from Initial Design Consultations to Permit/Build Approvals for interior alterations, renovations, additions and new builds.
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X1 Whips
Christopher Wright, owner and founder
Think Indiana Jones, Zorro, Cat Woman, or for the younger audience, Jacques Ze Whipper from your Instagram and TikTok feeds. “I probably have one of the coolest jobs in the world where I get to specialize in the production of high-quality, hand-crafted whips in a variety of styles, sizes and materials.” Rather than mass produce a single model, he prefers to work with clients to create tailored products that suit their needs and really come to life in their hands.
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LIOHAN
Crystal Wong Kruger, owner and founder
LIOHAN (“Live In Our Here And Now”) empowers families to bond, learn, and grow together through shared experiences. They create digital content that showcases simple yet powerful ways parents and their children can connect. They also host in-person events they call parent-child dates, where they guide people through mind-blowing, heart-warming activities.
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Driven By…
Diondra Filicetti, owner and founder
Driven By… builds engaged and motivated teams/individuals.
Knowing that low motivation and engagement are key contributors to low productivity, poor work culture, low innovation and even high employee turnover, the company offers workshops, team building, and education (online course development and delivery) that empowers participants to learn new skills, get engaged and take initiative in their own development.
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Dropout Entertainments
Jesse Read, owner and founder
Dropout Entertainment helps Canadian artists share their work, talents and stories with the world. What started as a hobby for founder Jesse Read, whose goal was to give artists across the country the ability to share their art, has grown into a platform that has helped hundreds of artists of all sizes, from promoting artists releasing their first ever single to shooting content for multi platinum artists and has gained a respectful position in the Canadian music industry.
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Design All The Way
Shruti Baskar, owner and founder
At Design All The Way, they specialize in creating visual masterpieces that empower brands. Their comprehensive suite of design services spans from captivating graphic designs to innovative website creations and engaging social media content to establish a stunning brand identity. We help unleash success through limitless design innovation and holistic solutions. By seamlessly integrating design into strategic initiatives, we pave the way for a captivating digital future, giving brands a distinctive edge in the market.
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Finish Line Projects
Tara Perera, owner and founder
Finish Line Projects, Inc. is a project management service specialized in managing projects for clients exclusively in the healthcare sector. The company will be expanding its offering by introducing a new and one-of-a-kind digital course in project management in 2024. The course delivers immediate results upon completion for teams within an organization by achieving standardized project methods, or for individuals looking to advance in their career.
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Ascend Rehabilitation Collective
Wesley Garrard, owner and founder
Ascend Rehabilitation Collective is a multidisciplinary physical therapy and rehabilitation company, offering a variety of healthcare and fitness services, with an emphasis on fitness practices and lifestyle improvement. Operating as a collective, they use their skillsets in therapeutic treatment provision and fitness administration to change the lives of the people they encounter – giving them relief from their pain, and encouraging them to adopt an understanding and love for fitness and health.
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Snuggly Figs Ltd
Sarah Najib, owner and founder
Snuggly Figs clothing wear is made from natural, organic and luxurious bamboo fiber which feels ultra soft and buttery on the baby’s gentle skin. Aside from its silky soft features, bamboo fiber is eco-friendly, thermoregulating, hypoallergenic and ultra stretchy. Their baby wear is designed to be a snug fit, making it comfortable and breathable on the little one’s body All their clothing is made from a premium SNUGLUXE™ fabric which is a customized blend of 97% Viscose Bamboo and 3% Spandex.
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TESTIMONIALS
“I am a huge fan of the program - when I sat down with my mentor and went through the business plan, she showed me how my model was limiting me and wouldn’t be sustainable. The business couldn’t grow because the commissions were just too low. Now, because of their help, we have a model that is fairer for everyone and we can do even more.”
Sham
“Pereira attributes some of his success in transitioning from painting contractor to custom finishings specialist to his participation in the Starter Company PLUS Program through the Mississauga Business Entrepreneur Centre (MBEC). “It helped in so many ways,” Pereira remembered. “I’d had a business plan before, but I couldn’t see it as anything beyond numbers on paper, but with the program and the people at MBEC, I could document all of my thoughts and was finally able to evaluate my business. I could see where I was and where I wanted to go.”
Luis
“The Starter Company Plus Program is going to change my life - with this grant, I can move to the next level. When I started, I had an idea and just a basic draft of a business plan. After four months of webinars, consultations and mentoring, I pitched the final result.”
Lara
PROVIDER
Mississauga Business Entrepreneur Centre (MBEC)
The Mississauga Business Entrepreneur Centre (MBEC) is your central source for small business information, resources and guidance. Whether you are starting or growing a small business, MBEC can help.