What’s New

From medical technology and freight, to food services, water purification, and education, entrepreneurs from a wide range of sectors gathered on June 19 to celebrate innovation and growth at IDEA Mississauga’s highly anticipated Step-Up Program pitch and showcase event.  The event marked the conclusion of the 2024 Step-Up Program, a six-month program designed to support diverse, underrepresented, high-potential businesses […]

As a third-generation immigrant from India Sophia Noreen feels a responsibility to help those that came to Canada after her. The registered physiotherapist, whose grandfather immigrated in 1974, says that she wanted to share some of her family’s traditions and holidays with her two little girls, but couldn’t find decorations at an affordable price point. […]

For many Canadians, access to clean drinking water is a challenge that only exists a world away; for Shirley Zhong, it was a reality of everyday life. “I grew up in China, and I witnessed water pollution firsthand,” she says. “I used to get sick just from water pollution, so that planted a seed inside […]

Zahra Qureshi always wanted to start her own business, but it wasn’t until she lost her job for the second time that the accounting professional decided to open her own firm in 2019. Around that same time Qureshi began volunteering as a workshop facilitator helping startups, who rarely had dedicated finance teams, with their books […]

Gezim Ramabaja doesn’t know where his entrepreneurial spirit comes from; he just knows that when he sees an opportunity, he can’t resist pursuing it. At age 18 he founded a coffee shop in his hometown in Kosovo, and after moving to Canada in 2006 and enrolling at Laurier University he started a restaurant, and later […]

Are you ready to take your innovative business to the next level? The IDEA Step-Up Program is now accepting applications until Monday, December 15th at 11:59 PM. This transformative 6-month initiative is designed to support companies like yours as you navigate the challenges of growth and scaling, all while promoting sustainability and inclusivity. Why Apply? […]