On Tuesday (February 6), the Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas revealed the 13 local companies making up the inaugural cohort of LevelUP, a new startup accelerator program tailored for mature entrepreneurs and regional innovators.
Announced in January, LevelUP focuses on the Innovation Cluster’s core sectors of agricultural technology (“agtech”), health care, clean technology (“cleantech”), social innovation, and digital technology.
“This program is not just about nurturing startups — it’s about creating a sustainable regional ecosystem where innovation, collaboration, and economic growth flourish together,” said Innovation Cluster executive director Camila Duarte when announcing the program.
“We’re committed to transforming Peterborough and the Kawarthas into a vibrant hub where entrepreneurs can thrive and make a lasting impact,” Duarte said. “This program has been missing in the organization for the last three years, and now we are finally ready to streamline many of the services that support startups.”
Running three times a year, the fully funded 12-week program will provide startup companies with mentorship, workshops, networking opportunities, and access to funding, and culminates in a competition where the participants of each cohort will pitch for investment and vie for prizes up to $10,000.
Participants will also have access to PitchBob, an AI-based idea management platform that helps entrepreneurs formulate their business ideas and create compelling startup pitch decks for funding.
VIDEO: “LevelUP – Take your startup to the next level”
The 13 companies (including their entrepreneurs and sectors) selected for LevelUP’s inaugural cohort are:
- Metaboly – Daniel Palberg, William Kim, and Emma Kaszecki (agtech)
- Community Pin – Ashley Bonner (social innovation, digital technology)
- Maman Biomedical – Latchmi Raghunanan (health care, digital technology)
- NX-Cast Innovations – Joe Nicholson and team (cleantech)
- FarmersCart – John Samuel and Joseph Premana (agtech)
- Cestrum Smart Technology Corp. – Mayhar Eslami (digital)
- Derimed – Eduardo Serna Barragan (health care, cleantech)
- EasyFit Technology Inc. – Safiya Khaki (digital technology)
- Netmechanics Inc. – Graeme Barrie (digital technology)
- SmarTeeth – Zahra Sadreddini and team (health care, digital technology)
- AppSport Inc. – Hanieh Ebrahimi (digital technology)
- Turtle Riot Studios – Maria Coates (cleantech, digital technlogy)
- Course Sync – Nick Landon (digital technlogy)
According to Duarte, LevelUP is expected to drive substantial economic development in the region, including contributing to job creation, and will position the region as a “beacon” of entrepreneurial growth and innovation.
“The selection of these 13 companies for LevelUP is a milestone for our region,” Duarte says. “We are fostering a sustainable ecosystem where innovation and economic growth thrive together. This program symbolizes our commitment to transforming our region into a vibrant hub for entrepreneurs.”
The Innovation Cluster is a non-profit organization that supports entrepreneurs to launch, grow, and scale their businesses. Along with LevelUP, it offers a full-service startup incubator program, the STARTup Visa Program Canada for immigrant entrepreneurs, a student entrepreneurship program, and Launch Kawartha, a dedicated space in Lindsay for incubation programming.
